Princess Princess: Frost Covered Rainbow
by Tejina Kyousei
Summary: A new student arrives at Fujimori and is inducted as a Princess. How will he adjust to this strange turn of events? Story is set one week after Tooru transfers in. Please read and review.
1. Prologue: All Is Not As It Appears

_(Author's Note: It takes a bit to get into the "good stuff" as it were; please don't judge this fic by the prologue. _

_Also I do not claim to own any characters created by the talented Mikiyo Tsuda-sama. -Tejina)_

Prologue: All Is Not As It Appears

"Don't be over self-confident with your first impressions of people."

"So this is going to be my school..."

The figure stood, a dark shadow against the rising moon. Short, unruly hair waved in the breeze as, with hands on its hips, it stared at the sign.

"Fujimori School Dorm...It looks locked up for the night." The figure paused, then sighed. "I guess I sleep at the bus station tonight. My own fault, really. I should have accounted for Dad's enthusiasm." A groan escaped small lips, the lithe body slumping. Brown eyes flecked with green glanced down at the two suitcases and two duffel bags, a frown marring the smooth forehead. "Ah, whatever. It's better than that train station a few days back..."

The person readjusted the backpack slung over slender shoulders, hefted a duffel bag on each arm and then grabbed the suitcases with ease, obviously having done this many times before. Just as the figure turned away, footsteps were heard on the street.

Startled, the figure whipped around. A blonde haired-girl?-was staring at the figure with golden eyes.

"Can I help you?" the person inquired.

"I-uh-it's not what it looks like," the figure began, hastily backing up, only to trip over a stray handle.

"Oh, here. Let me help you up." A tinge of laughter could be heard in the blonde's voice.

"Wow, she's pretty. She can't go to Fujimori..." The figure stared up at the golden-eyed girl.

The blonde extended a hand to the fallen teen. "Are you a new student here, then?" she asked curiously. "Tsuji-senpai never mentioned anyone else moving in other than Tooru."

"Ah, yes. Um. Are you a student here, then? I'll be transferring into class 1-D tomorrow, and I'm supposed to move into the dorms then as well. But I got here early." Taking the hand, the brunette stood and dusted black pants off, then checked the long jacket for tears. "Thank you. I spoke to the Director yesterday, but I lost the phone number... Oh! My name is Masa Inoue. Pleased to meet you."

"I'm Yuujiro Shihoudani. I'm in class 1-D as well." He smiled, a dazzling smile. Masa was slightly taken aback at this turn of events.

"Really? Well, I hope to have a good year with you." Masa bowed.

"Well, Inoue-kun..." Yuujiro began to say something when a tall dark haired man emerged from the dorm.

"Yuu-chan! What are you doing outside?" he called, then spotted Masa. "Oh, are you..." He trotted over, examining Masa carefully.

"He's a new transfer student. Looks like Tooru won't be the only one this year." Yuujiro smiled at the man.

"Yes. I'm sorry, I arrived earlier than I thought I would. If it's too much trouble, I can go sleep at the bus station until tomorrow." Masa bowed again.

"Nonsense. I'm Jin Tsuji, dorm manager. No sense in you staying out in the cold. Here, I'll help you." He picked up a fallen suitcase as Yuujiro took a duffel bag from Masa's shoulder.

"Ah, no, I can carry those myself," Masa began, then sighed as the two led him inside. He marveled at Yuujiro's slender, smooth hands. "Just like a girl," he murmured.

"I'll show you around the dorm tomorrow, Inoue-san. For tonight, however...ah, let's see. Oh, it looks like there's a room...ah."

Masa looked at Tsuji, hearing an odd inflection in his voice. "Yes?"

Yuujiro glanced at Tsuji and began to laugh. "It will be okay," he said with a grin that seemed, to Masa, to be slightly predatory. "He looks like he could be one anyway."

"Ahh," Tsuji said with a sigh. "We'll see tomorrow, I guess. For now, your room will be over in the P-Room."

"What's the P-Room?" Masa asked, hazel eyes alight with curiosity before a yawn interrupted his train of thought.

"Don't worry about it. Yuujiro, you want to help him?" Tsuji glanced down the hall. "Preferably before we get a crowd."

Yuujiro nodded and quickly ushered Masa into the door marked 'P-Room', pulling the bags in and shutting the door.

"Tsuji-senpai can help you get your bearings in the dorm tomorrow," Yuujiro said distractedly. Masa looked around with interest. There were four doors, connected to rooms, he figured. Another door had a 'Meeting Room' sign on it.

"Here, you can use this room for now." Yuujiro opened the leftmost door and Masa followed him in. Bunk beds were on the right wall, a large table, dresser, and closet on the left.  
"Thank you very much, Shihoudani-san," Masa said politely. "I will ensure that I am ready to be moved out at the earliest opportunity tomorrow."

"Well, I'll be in the room two doors down from you. Come see me if you have any urgent questions." Yuujiro waved and left, and Masa plopped down on the bottom bunk.

"Ah, a bed...how nice." Masa quickly changed into pajamas and was soon fast asleep before he could even finish that thought, blissfully unaware of the direction his life would take.


	2. Part One: An Interesting First Day

Part One: An Interesting First Day

"Life at any time can become difficult: life at any time can become easy. It all depends upon how one adjusts oneself to life."

"Welcome, Inoue-kun. Follow me."

Masa obediently followed the teacher, adjusting his tie nervously. He had noticed he was getting plenty of looks, even when he had packed up what he had used this morning and had given his bags to Tsuji-senpai.

"Since you transferred here late, you will have to learn your way around campus," the teacher was saying. Masa shook his head, short curls bouncing as he focused on what was being discussed. "Please disregard the gawkers, they're simply interested."

Masa took that to heart and deftly ignored all looks and murmurs. "Yes, Sensei."

"Although you will probably end up as one of _them_," the teacher muttered.

"Pardon?"

"Ah, nothing. Here we are." The teacher opened the door and strode to the front. "Settle down, everyone. It turns out that Kouno-kun isn't the only transfer student this semester."

The classroom was instantly full of whispers. Masa stood anxiously outside, waiting for the teacher to introduce him. He was unused to such events and was unsure of how to react.

"Masa Inoue. Please help him learn his way around." The teacher gestured, and Masa sidled in.

His short, tousled, wavy hair glistened auburn in the morning sun, bright, hazel eyes wide with mild panic. Smooth skin and a slender build made it quick to see that this boy was quite interesting, indeed. Suddenly, his expression shifted slightly.

"My name is Masa Inoue. Pleased to meet you. I hope to have a good year with you all." His voice was clipped, almost regal as he bowed.

"Sakamoto-san, as the class president, can you show Inoue-kun around as well?" The teacher glanced at a green-haired boy who rose.

"Of course, Sensei."

"Go sit over by Sakamoto-san." The teacher gestured over to the empty seat, and Masa gratefully sat down, hearing his classmates whisper something about "another new one" and "he'll look great".

"I'm Akira Sakamoto, class president." The green-haired boy smiled warmly at Masa, who grinned weakly. "I'll help you find your way around campus, don't worry."

"Thank you," Masa said with a sigh. A sudden tap on his shoulder made him nearly jump out of his seat.

"A bit high-strung, are we?"

A laugh came from behind him. Turning, Masa saw Yuujiro. Beside him was a beautiful blue-haired boy.

"Ah, Shihoudani-san. Good morning," Masa said with a nod. Yuujiro waved.

"This is Tooru Kouno." Yuujiro elbowed Tooru, whose blue eyes were staring intently at Masa.

"Oh. Uh, yes. I also transferred in recently. Hopefully we can be friends." Tooru smiled, and it was also as radiant as Yuujiro's.

"What's up with these blindingly beautiful people?" Masa muttered. Akira laughed, his green eyes sparkling.

"Well, you're quite interesting in your own right, Inoue-san."

Masa was left to ponder that statement as he went through his morning classes.

Finally lunch came along. Masa collapsed at his desk. "Man, you guys are far ahead of where I was," he said with a sigh.

Akira came over. "Well, let's go get something to eat. Do you want to visit the cafeteria or the school shop? Or did you bring a lunch?"

"Ah, no, it's okay. I don't usually eat lunch." Masa waved his hands in denial. "Could you show me-"

"Will Yuujiro Shihoudani, Tooru Kouno, Mikoto Yutaka, Akira Sakamoto, and Masa Inoue come to the Student Council room immediately?" The loudspeaker rang out and everyone around them erupted in whispers yet again.

"What is with this school?" Masa wondered as Akira stood up. "The Student Council? Am I in trouble or something?"  
"No, of course not. They just want to ask you something, is all." Akira led Masa into the hall.

"By the way, where did Kouno-san and Shihoudani-san go?" Masa peered around the students swarming them in the hall.

"Sakamoto-sama, good morning," they called, many eyeing Masa up. He glared at them all.

"Oh, they had some duties to attend to during lunch," Akira hedged. "Here we are." They arrived at a plush room. Inside were Tooru, Yuujiro, and a red-haired boy that Masa hadn't met yet. "President." He bowed to a strikingly beautiful young man.

"Sakamoto-sama, welcome. Oh, you're Masa Inoue? I see." The president stood up and walked around Masa, who was beginning to feel like a piece of meat being sized up for sale. "I'm Shuya Arisada, student council president, and I have a proposition for you."

"Don't listen to him!" The red-haired boy burst out, standing up. Yuujiro and Tooru sighed and tugged him back down onto the couch. "It's not worth it!"

"Not for _you_. But that doesn't mean others don't need the help," Yuujiro said chidingly with a glare. The boy sank back down, distressed.

"But we have Tooru! Do we really need another one?!"

"Mikoto, shush," Tooru said with a smile. Masa deduced that he was the Mikoto Yutaka mentioned in the announcement. "Please, have a seat." Tooru and Yuujiro shifted down on the couch, and Masa sat between Tooru and Mikoto.

"We have a tradition here at Fujimori...As an all-boy's school, we find ourselves lacking in morale, grace, and elegance...which is why we have the Princesses." Arisada sat down on the couch opposite, flanked by three other men.

"Princesses?" Masa was confused. "But there are no women here."

"You see, Inoue-kun, we select students with feminine features to be the light of the student's school days."

Masa stared at the president. "But I haven't seen anyone..." He paused and glanced at the three lovely boys sitting beside him. "You three dress up as girls?"

"I never wanted this!" Mikoto cried out.

"Yes," Tooru and Yuujiro chimed.

"It seems strange, but hear the President out." Akira patted Masa's shoulder. "It may be worth it for you to consider."

Arisada coughed and glanced at Mikoto, who quieted down. "Basically, Inoue-kun, a candidate for a Princess must be a first year student of the school since they have more free time from school work, bodies that have not fully developed, and can easily wear girls' outfits. From all the first years, those with the best looks and most-suited personalities are chosen to be Princesses. However, if one only has good looks but is not popular, that person will not be chosen."

Masa nodded. "That makes sense, I guess."

"The Princesses' duties consist of wearing girl's clothes to morning meetings or school events, encouraging others at school, and cheering at school events. When there is a conflict between a Princess' work and school classes, absence from class or leaving early can be considered as a school vacation, and the absence will not show up on his attendance record. Every month the Princesses receive thirty school luncheon vouchers each. Therefore, when they eat at school, they do not have to pay." Arisada paused, looking thoughtful.

"All necessary school supplies are covered by the Princess budget, which is, by the way, the largest of the school. Also, the Princesses will receive partial profit they can use as pocket money from the photography club that takes pictures of the Princesses and sells them to other students. The school rules require the photography club to share profits with whoever serves as model for the photos they sell, and the photographs of the Princesses are the most sought-after." This was said by the man on the president's left. "Wataru Harue, student council treasurer."

Masa pondered this. "So you're telling me that if I dress up as a girl, my school lunches and supplies will be paid for?"

"A good deal, right?" Tooru grinned at Masa, blue eyes alight with passion.

"It is," the short-haired brunette agreed.

"But you have to dress as a girl!" Mikoto stood again, gesturing towards Yuujiro and Tooru. "Are you really going to accept this as easily as those two?!"

"I don't see any real reason in objecting," Masa said after a moment.

"If he's becoming one, then I should be able to quit," Mikoto said, hope in his voice.

The president shook his head. "No, I'm afraid that isn't possible, Mikoto-kun."

"Why not?" Masa asked, glancing over at Akira.

"Once you become a Princess, it's tied to your grades," Akira explained with a sideways look at the president.

"Oh. Then I accept." Masa folded his hands on his lap. "Please take care of me."

"Well, that was simple!" The president stood. "We'll need to plan another Princess Announcement ceremony. You're dismissed." The student council members retreated into the back part of the room as the four boys stood. Akira led them out and gently shut the door behind him, then turned to Masa.

"You seem to have accepted this all in stride," he said with a quirk of his eyebrows.

Masa's hazel eyes sparkled. "I'll get to eat lunch," was all he said. Yuujiro laughed.

"That was Tooru's reason too," the blonde said with a grin. Tooru glared at Yuujiro.

"No, the supplies was my reason for joining." Tooru looked haughtily away.

"I didn't want to do this!" Mikoto muttered. "Why can't I just quit?"

"If you leave, then everyone's benefits are taken away." Yuujiro frowned at Mikoto. "I'll hate you forever if you do that."

Mikoto stood shocked as Tooru and Yuujiro laughed. Masa stared in bewilderment at the three boys. Akira tapped him on the shoulder, breaking his reverie.

"I'm sure that Natasho-senpai heard the news, so you should probably head over to the Home Economics room for a fitting. Also, as a Princess, you get to stay at the

P-Room over in the Dorms...I'll make sure that Tsuji-san knows. Yutaka-san, Shihoudani-san, Kouno-san, can you escort Inoue-san? I'll go make sure that everything is arranged."

"Yes, Sakamoto-sama," Mikoto sighed. The green-haired boy trotted down the hall.

"Why does everyone call him Sakamoto-sama?" Masa inquired.

"He's going to be student council president after Arisada-san. By the way, it turns out that Arisada-san was a Princess as well." Yuujiro glanced at Masa, who was moderately surprised.

"I figured as much. He probably looked lovely." Masa sighed as he followed the three Princesses down the hall, wondering how this was going to turn out.

A man in glasses came barreling out into the hall, stopping when he saw the four boys. "Ah, Princesses! You've come to try on my newest outfit, haven't you?" he said excitedly. He began rambling on about cloth cut and thread types when Yuujiro smiled beatifically at him.

"Natasho-senpai, this is Masa Inoue. He has agreed to become a Princess as well, so we were wondering if you wanted to do a fitting on him."

The tall man stopped mid-sentence. "What?!" he said, eyes widening. "Ah, bring him in! Oh, this is going to be a wonderful year," he said giddily.

"I'm Masa Inoue, pleased to meet you," Masa said haltingly as he was poked, prodded, and measured.

"This is great, I have so much inspiration now! Ah, the four Princesses...perhaps I'll go with a seasonal theme..." Apparently finished with measuring, Natasho wandered off, grabbing a sketch pad and scribbling furiously.

"Um, are we done here?" Masa asked, glancing at the other three. Tooru sighed.

"Yes, probably. Lunch break is almost over." He glanced at his watch. "Masa-kun, you want to split some bread with me?"

"Ah, sure, if you don't mind." They left the home ec room, ignoring the squeals of delight heard from within. Yuujiro stretched and grabbed Mikoto.

"Mikoto, let's go see what the president needs us to do today so we can get Masa-kun used to our ways." The blonde grinned at Mikoto, golden eyes gleaming devilishly.

"No way! This is no way for a man with a girlfriend to act!" Mikoto protested, his defiant cries lingering as Yuujiro pulled him back towards the student council room.

"So you transferred in as well, Kouno-san?" Masa asked. The bread having been bought, they were sitting outside on the grass.

Tooru nodded. "Yes, just..." He paused as a group of students came by.

"Ah, Princess! This day is too long without your radiance! Please, bestow a smile upon us lowly students!" they begged.

"Please keep your spirits up, everyone," Tooru said with a dazzling smile. The throng of students cheered and dispersed. "Anyway, I actually transferred here last week. I was inducted as a Princess on my second day," he said with a laugh. "They seem to be moving faster."

"The students really enjoy having Princesses, don't they?" Masa asked ponderously.

"Yes. Although it can be tiring. I mean, we have to be cheerful all the time, and give them what they want-within limits, of course. I mean, most of it is smiling, waving, and cheering. But it's like being on stage all day." He sighed, then smiled and waved at some passing students. "It's interesting enough work, though."

"I see." The two sat in silence as they ate. A few students stayed back and stared at Masa, whispering and casting glares in his direction.

"They seem to be jealous. I'm hogging all of your attention, it seems," Masa said with a laugh.

"Well, the news will be out soon enough." Tooru shrugged. A student came racing outside, waving his hands excitedly. "There you go, it seems they put posters up for the Princess Announcement ceremony. It's basically a chance for the students to see you in your Princess outfit."

Masa nodded. "I see, I see." The bell rang, and he stood, extending a hand to Tooru. "Shall we head back?"

"Sure."

Just then, Yuujiro came out. "Seems there isn't anything special for us to do today, just rest up for the ceremony tomorrow." The three walked back to the classroom, followed by admiring students.

"Masa-hime! Good luck at the ceremony tomorrow!"

"Princesses! You are the stars in the dark night sky of school life! Please continue to shine!"

"I appreciate your thoughts, gentlemen," Masa said coolly, with a hint of a smile. "I will do my best."

Soon the school day was over. Masa joined Yuujiro as they walked to the dorms, staring at his feet.

"I can't wait to change out of this," he murmured. "It's so hot."

"Yes, you can change to the normal uniform now that you've been introduced." Yuujiro rubbed his eyes. "The ceremony will be tomorrow morning, so we should be at the school by about 7 a.m."

"I understand." They walked in silence, each absorbed in their own thoughts.

"Masa, it might be tough for you, but we're all here in case you need anything." Yuujiro turned abruptly to look at Masa. "Although he whines a lot, Mikoto's pretty reliable. Tooru seems to be a good listener."

"And you, Shihoudani-san, are my first friend," Masa said with a bright smile. "So let's have an interesting year."

"Yeah." Yuujiro nodded, golden eyes abstract.

"You seem to enjoy teasing Mikoto."

"Yeah," he repeated. "There's just something about him. Tooru does it too."

"I see." Masa scuffed his feet along the road.

"Oh, it's Tsuji-senpai. Hello senpai," Yuujiro called. The two trotted to the dorm doors.

"Hello Masa-chan, Yuu-chan. Masa-chan, you're going to be in the room you were in last night if that's okay with you. Unless you'd rather room with Miko-chan, of course." Tsuji glanced at Yuujiro.

"No, it's okay, I don't want to impose on Yutaka-san." Masa smiled.

"We moved your bags to the room. Shoes and name cards are here. Just put your card in the slot when you're in the dorm so we know. Since you're a Princess, you'll bathe when the other three do so we can have a guard set up."

"Guard?"

"Yes, some students would love to take photos of us in the bath." Yuujiro laughed.

"Oh." Masa was slightly taken aback by this statement as he removed his shoes.

"Well, I need to talk to some of the other residents. I'm sure the other Princesses can take care of any other questions you have." Tsuji bowed. "I'll be on my way."

"Thank you very much for your help," Masa said, bowing in return. "Shall we, Shihoudani-san? Ladies first." He said it with a grin as Yuujiro swept past him.

"You're a man today, but a woman tomorrow morning," the blonde teased. Masa laughed. "Mikoto seems to equate clothes with masculinity, which is part of his problem." He unlocked the P-Room door, pausing as he opened it. "Tsuji-senpai forgot to give you a key."

"Oh, I have it." Mikoto emerged from the second room on the left, two keys dangling from his hand. "Here you go, Masa. The square one is for the outside door, the round one for your room. We don't usually lock our room doors, but we deadbolt the outside door at night. Tsuji-senpai has a master key if you ever get locked out."

Masa took the keys, nodding his thanks to the redhead. "I'm going to go move in, then."

His bags were neatly arranged in the corner. With a sigh, Masa opened the suitcases and began unpacking his clothing, shoes, and uniforms. Once they were properly hung up or put in the chest of drawers, he moved on to the duffel bags. One held his bedding. After struggling with the sheets, he unpacked the second bag, which contained his personal effects.

He dug around until he found a photo. Unwrapping the towel around it, he gazed fondly at the photo of his family. His mother, a female version of himself, was laughing at something his father said. Masa himself was on his father's shoulders. The picture was taken in front of a sunflower field.

Gathering a few more photos, he taped them to the walls and retrieved a keychain near the bottom. It had a heart on it, and on the back was written "Don't forget who you are-Tsuki".

He smiled at the thought of his best friend back in middle school as he attached his keys to it, then exhaled loudly. After putting a few more items out, he deemed himself done. The room still seemed empty, however. Masa flopped facedown onto the bed. "It's been a long day," he muttered.

A knock on the door made him jump. "Come in," he said, muffled by his pillow. The door creaked and Tooru's head popped in.

"Hey, just wondering if you needed anything." The blue-haired boy edged inside.

"No, but thank you for asking, Kouno-san." Masa sat up and massaged his temples.

"No need to be so formal, you know. We've been calling you Masa all day." Tooru sat at the table chair. "Hopefully we'll get the hang of this Princess stuff together."

Masa grinned. "Yes, that would be for the best." He yawned, then sat up. "What time is it?"

Tooru glanced at his watch. "Want to grab supper? Since the posters for your ceremony are up, you'll join us at the Princess table."

"Oh?"

"Yeah, we basically sit at the head of the room. Seems kind of awkward, but you'll get used to it." Tooru shrugged.

"I see." Masa pondered this. "Well, I guess as long as the other students don't mind."

"They love it," Yuujiro said, appearing in the doorway. Mikoto popped up behind him.

"Yes, but it's so embarrassing!" Mikoto hung his head. "I wish we could just eat normally."

"Shush, Mikoto. You probably like the attention." Yuujiro glanced slyly at the redhead.

"Never!" Mikoto protested.

"The lady doth protest too much, methinks," Tooru teased. Mikoto went off into a rant as the two laughed at him. Masa followed the three out, attempting to remember everyone's names and classroom locations.

At supper, the four Princesses ate at a separate table at the front of the room, as Tooru had said. The chatter of students was soothing to Masa and he relaxed and listened as he ate. As such, he was startled when Yuujiro gave him a poke.

"I'm sorry, I wasn't paying attention," he apologized.

"Obviously we're not pretty enough to hold your interest," Yuujiro said, flipping his hair over his shoulder, feigning disgust.

"We can't compare to you, what with that naturally messy hair and proportional figure, but you'd think we'd be more interesting than Mikoto." Tooru pouted.

Masa realized that as he had been spacing out, he'd been staring at Mikoto, who was blushing.

"I'm sorry, Yutaka-san, I wasn't staring," Masa said hastily. "And 'naturally messy' is the most painful kind of hair to deal with! I have to get up so early..."

"Mikoto," the redhead said with a sigh. "Call me Mikoto."

"Miko-chan," Yuujiro and Tooru suddenly chimed.

"No! I hate that nickname! It makes me sound like some sort of magical girl," Mikoto complained.

Masa laughed. "Okay, Mikoto. Shall we head back to the dorms? I need to prepare for tomorrow."

"Sure." The four stood up and deposited their trays on the conveyor, waving as they left.

"Let's try to outdo each other tomorrow," Tooru said with a smile as they walked back.

"I won't even have to try," Yuujiro said confidently.

"I don't want to," Mikoto muttered. "I hate it, I hate dressing up as a girl when I'm a man!"

"I'll give it my all," Masa grinned. As they went to their rooms, Masa sat at the table and began his homework. Soon the sun had set and it was dark; deeming himself done, he stretched and turned on a small lamp he had set up on the edge of the desk. Undressing, he quickly hopped into bed and was asleep, dreams of dresses running through his head.


	3. Part Two: Ah, Spring

Part Two: Ah, Spring: The Bringer of New Beginnings

"There is a good reason they call these ceremonies 'commencement exercises'. Graduation is not the end, it's the beginning."-Orrin Hatch

"Ah, good, you're all here."

Natosho grinned at the four boys. "I have such interesting designs for your outfits for this ceremony! Here you are..." He pushed his glasses up his nose as he gestured towards four dresses. "Let me know if anything doesn't fit right."

Mikoto held up his dress. "Why are they all different?"

"The President decided that you'd all be named, so I decided to dress you accordingly." Natosho smiled and disappeared from the room.

"What did he mean by that?" Masa wondered as he examined his dress.

"Who knows." Yuujiro shrugged. "Mikoto and I were the Eastern and Western Princesses because of our classrooms being on different ends of the building, but now..."

"Well, let's just see what happens." Tooru sighed as he held up his dress. It was a sleeveless, emerald green, v-necked dress; Mikoto's was a pale lavender spaghetti strap dress with a pink ribbon belt and roses detailed on the bottom. Yuujiro's was a short-sleeved red, black, and white plaid dress with buttons down the front, and Masa's was a black sleeveless dress with sequins in five columns starting at the collar and spreading outwards.

"These are relatively tame compared to the one's we've seen," Mikoto said happily.

"Oh? What have you worn?" Masa asked curiously, going to the corner to change.

"All sorts of embarrassing things! Maid outfits, waitress outfits..." The redhead shivered.

"We'll help you with your wig and makeup, Masa," Tooru said as he quickly shucked his clothes and slipped into his dress.

"Oh, right...I guess my normal hair won't do, will it?" Masa laughed, running a hand through his errant hair. "That would be great. Thank you very much."

"So polite," Yuujiro droned. "You'll make the rest of us look bad." He glanced over at Masa as he was changing and caught a glimpse of bandage around his chest.

"Hey, what's that-"

"Are you almost done changing?" A rap at the door interrupted Yuujiro's question.

"Almost, Sakamoto-sama. One moment." He finished changing and checked the other three. "Done with the dresses, anyway."

The door opened and Akira poked his head in. "Okay, I'll just go over everything for Masa's benefit."

Tooru and Mikoto took their wigs from the mannequin heads and adjusted them until they were indistinguishable from their normal hair. Tooru grabbed Masa's and put it on the brunette's head, the long, straight hair covering his natural hair nicely, then proceeded to tie the ends into pigtails. Yuujiro grabbed the makeup and went to work on the brunette's face as Akira explained the procedure to Masa.

"Basically, the President will go over some news and then you and the other three will come on stage. He'll introduce you, you smile and wave, then go around in a small car and greet everyone. Immediately afterwards there will be a photoshoot, so don't go too far."

Masa nodded. "I think I can handle that."

"Hold still," Yuujiro chastised. "Your mascara will smear."

"We're done," Tooru announced. Mikoto stared dolefully at his feet.

"Masa's finished as well," he said eventually. "Wow, you look good. Hard to believe you're a boy."

The brunette just laughed. "Thanks. You look pretty darn feminine yourself."

Indeed, with the long wigs on, the four boys looked quite like women. They checked buttons and zippers before pronouncing themselves ready.

Akira checked his watch. "Okay, let's get you guys to the stage."

"...and don't forget to purchase student calendars at the store. Now, what you've all been waiting for!" The President was just wrapping up his speech as the four boys hurried into position.

"It's a new year at Fujimori, and we'd like to bring you the new Princesses! As the spring melts the snow and flowers bloom, so too will the loveliness of the Princess of Spring, Tooru Kouno!"

Tooru appeared from below on the left side, carried aloft on a dais of flowers, waving.

"As the summer heats up, this Princess will refresh your bodies and minds. Please welcome Yuujiro Shihoudani, the Princess of Summer!"

Yuujiro came from the right side from below the stage, holding a parasol aloft as he beamed out at the students.

"And as summer makes way for autumn, though the trees lose their leaves this Princess gets more lovely. The Princess of Autumn, Mikoto Yutaka!"

Mikoto came from above, near Tooru, avoiding the crowd's eyes as he played with the long satin gloves and wide-brimmed hat that accompanied his outfit.

"And finally, the one you've been waiting to see. Though winter gets cold, this Princess will ensure that you stay warm. Please welcome our newest Princess, Masa Inoue!"

Masa descended from above as well, waving and smiling as he gently landed near Yuujiro. His fur-hemmed gloves, boots, and hats were making him sweat under the hot gymnasium lights.

The crowd went wild as the four Princesses grinned at them, though Mikoto's smile was a bit strained.

"The Princesses will now greet the crowd. Remember, look but please do not touch." The President escorted the four boys to the miniature car and they cruised around.

"I guess they like it, huh?" Masa murmured.

"Yeah, it never seems to get old for them." Tooru laughed as he reached out and touched some students' hands.

"So, I guess I'm an official Princess..." Masa sighed as the breeze from the car reached him.

"I still don't know why you'd want to do this," Mikoto muttered as he smiled in an obviously fake attempt to be cheerful.

"Mikoto is jealous. Now that you're around, he won't get us all to himself," Yuujiro said with a grin.

"Liar! That's not-I hate you!" he cried. The students around them laughed at Mikoto's outburst.

"Fairly common occurrence?" Masa whispered to Tooru as Yuujiro acted hurt.

"Daily basis," the blue-haired boy confirmed.

Masa wondered just exactly what he'd gotten himself into.

After the ceremony, a photo shoot was held in which the Student Council was selling a variety of merchandise.

"So we get some of the profit?" Masa inquired as he sat on a large chair. Thankfully he was able to shed the hat and gloves, so he was a bit cooler.

"Yes, that's the case. What, Mikoto," Yuujiro called, "you don't like your photo taken?"

"No, of course not! I don't want to do this!" Mikoto said, but not loudly enough for the students to hear. Tooru, blinded by the flashes of cameras and phones, turned slightly towards the other three.

"Whyever not, Mikoto? We can show them to your girlfriend so she can see what you do all day at school!" Tooru smiled angelically, leading to an increase in flashes.

"Nooooo!" Mikoto cried. "You're so mean, Tooru, Yuujiro!" The redhead glanced over at Masa. "Masa doesn't tease me! Why can't you two stop it?"

"Masa doesn't know you well enough yet," Yuujiro retorted. "Now smile. The faster we finish this, the faster we can change out of these."

With a sigh, Mikoto faced the crowd again. Masa went over and gave Mikoto a seemingly sympathetic hug, which drew cheers from the crowd.

"Just try and endure it, okay?" he whispered. Mikoto sniffed and nodded.

Finally, the photo shoot was over. Masa went over to the photo sales table, fanning himself.

"Please support me and buy plenty of photos to commemorate this event!" he said, smiling.

"Of course, Masa-hime! You're so lovely," one student said.

"Ah, you're making me blush," Masa murmured, redness flooding his pale cheeks. "Thank you very much. I hope to brighten everyone's days here at Fujimori." He looked away and bit his lip, drawing yells of gratitude from the mass of students. Turning away, he suddenly grinned in a very different manner.

"Oh, Masa looks like the cat that caught the canary," Tooru murmured. Yuujiro cocked an eyebrow.

"He does, at that. Seems like he caught on fairly quickly."

Mikoto wandered over. "I'm so tired," he said with a sigh. "Hurry, let's go change out of these."

Masa nodded. "I can't wait to have a bath," he muttered. "I'm all hot and sweaty."

"Well, let's go. We'll have to cheer on the baseball, soccer, and tennis clubs today, but that's not until after lunch." Tooru conferred with a schedule given to them by Arisada. "Good work, everyone," Akira said as he passed them carrying an arm full of papers.

"Thank you for your hard work," the president said, resting a hand on Mikoto's shoulder. "Please keep it up."

"When can we get our share of the photos?" Masa asked bluntly.

"Oh, I'd say next week. We're thinking of making photo shoots a weekly event. Natosho was delighted at the idea."

Mikoto groaned. "I don't want to."

"When do you ever want to?" Tooru asked with a sigh.

"I'm fine with it," Masa replied instantly. "Whenever, wherever, in whatever."

"_Someone's_ strapped for cash," Yuujiro noted with a sly grin. "Why, I wonder?"

"None of your business I'm afraid, Yuujiro-sama," Masa replied dryly. "My business is my own."

Collective eyebrows went up.

"It seems that the delicate rose that is Masa-chan is not as ladylike as we thought," Arisada said, cocking his head. "Well, just make sure it doesn't cross the line."

Masa laughed. "I've gotten the 'tsundere' down pat, thanks anyway." He trotted off, leaving the three Princesses and president staring at him.

"Just how deep is this guy?" Tooru wondered.

"Indeed," Yuujiro murmured.

Masa laughed as he walked back to the home ec room, doing some quick mental math in his head. He needed how much to buy-?

He stopped and looked around. "Uh oh," he breathed. He didn't recognize this part of the hallway. "Where am I at, exactly?"

He looked around for some sort of reference but found none. Masa's hand went to his pocket to find his cell phone, and cursed (quietly) when he realized he left it in his uniform.

"Well, now what?" he wondered, thinking.

At that moment, a group of people emerged from a nearby classroom.

"Ah, saved," Masa murmured. "Excuse me," he called, hurrying over.

"Oh, look, it's a _Princess_." One boy, probably the leader, rolled his eyes. "Just what we need. Another freak. What can we do for you, lady?"

"Can you direct me to the home ec room?" Masa forced a grin, hoping that they would just give him directions and then leave him be.

"Why do you want to go there?" another boy jeered. "You look mighty comfy in that getup." He leered at Masa's slender legs.

The Princess suddenly decided to change tactics.

"Listen to me, you pieces of filth. You _will_ give me directions or else I will see to it that none of you leave here without at least one broken bone."

The leader's eyes widened. "What did you say, you stupid crossdresser?"

"What, your brains leaking through your ears? I said tell me where the home ec room is," Masa taunted.

"That does it. You're gonna die, you freak!" The leader lunged at Masa, who managed to intercept his attack and toss him down the hall.

"Well, shall we continue this farce, or are you going to make me ask again?" Masa smiled, but it was a smile that could freeze boiling water.

The other boys were considering taking Masa down a notch, but evidently decided against it. "Whatever, you stupid tranny. It's left at the corner." They jogged and helped their leader up, hurrying away as Akira appeared around the corner.

"Inoue-san? What was that all about?" he asked, green eyes worried. "Did they hurt you?"

"Oh, no, of course not," Masa said with a gentle smile. "I'm afraid I may have lost my temper. Thank goodness no one was injured," he said with a look of relief. "That big one lunged at me when I asked where the home ec room was and then tripped over my foot." He shrugged. "I'm fine though, so I'll be on my way."

"Here, I'll come with you. That's odd, though..." Akira said, thinking.

"What are you doing down this way?" Masa asked the green-haired boy.

"Oh, me? Ah, nothing really. The President wanted me to grab some art supplies." As he said this, Akira disappeared into a nearby room, emerging with paint and brushes.

"I see," Masa murmured. "Well, thank you for the help." He had been closer to the home ec room than he had thought.

"Masa! There you are! What, did you get lost?" Yuujiro teased. Masa just laughed and nodded.

"Did Tooru and Mikoto change already?" he asked, stumbling a bit over the lack of honorifics. "We have events after lunch, right? What time is it now...?" He glanced at the clock. "Oh, it's only ten. I guess back to class."

Yuujiro nodded. "Mikoto went to call his girlfriend, and Tooru went back to the classroom. I'll wait, in case you get lost again." The blonde grinned.

"Just make sure you don't get lost in my eyes," Masa returned with a quirk of his lips.

Yuujiro was taken aback by this statement. "Seems the Princess of Winter has a little fire in her."

"Of course." Masa went to the corner and quickly stripped as Akira trotted by.

"Oh, Yuujiro. I had some questions to ask you concerning the preliminaries..." he said, and Yuujiro exited the room. Masa sighed as he put on his uniform, checking his pockets.

"All right, let's head back to the classroom," Masa said commandingly. Yuujiro followed, staring at Masa's back.

"How tall are you, Masa?" he asked suddenly.

"Five foot two, why?" the brunette said defensively.

"Just wondering. I'm five six, but your posture makes you seem as tall as me." Yuujiro pondered this as Masa shrugged.

"Just my upbringing, I guess. 'Be gentle when necessary, be stern all the time' is my father's motto."

"I see. Does your mother agree with that?"

"She...died. When I was eight." Masa's tone brooked no further inquiry. Yuujiro wisely left the topic alone and they walked back to the classroom in silence.

"Ah, Masa-hime! Great job at the photoshoot!"

"You were so cute, Princesses!"

"I bought lots of stuff!"

Yuujiro and Masa were swarmed with fans when they entered the classroom. Tooru was also struggling to extricate himself from a mob.

"Everyone, please listen to me," Masa said suddenly in a loud voice. Everyone quieted down and waited, eyes on the Princess of Winter. "While we appreciate your affection and dedication, you must understand that we do not want to disrupt the class. Please wait until break, and we will talk with you then." His tone was commanding, and their classmates obediently went back to their desks.

Tooru stared in amazement at Masa, who coolly went and sat down at his desk.

Yuujiro sat down as well, and class soon began.

"So when you said 'tsundere'," Yujiro whispered. "You meant that?"

"'That' what?" Masa murmured innocently.

"The gentle Princess to ice queen switch."

"Ah. Yes. When I'm in my uniform, I'm aloof and elegant. As a Princess, however, I am delicate and charming, seemingly fragile." Masa turned and grinned evilly at Yuujiro. "Also able to blush on command."

Masa proved this statement by his cheeks flushing a rosy pink, then to a full-fledged red.

"Inoue-kun, what is the answer to number 42?" the teacher asked, and Masa's cheeks quickly returned to their normal pale colour as he stood up.

"x is equal to 43.22, which is less than y which equals 43.2." Masa sat back down, ignoring the murmurs of admiration.

"You're much more interesting than I thought you were," Yuujiro whispered.

"That probably doesn't take much," Masa shot back. "Mikoto doesn't offer all that much in variety, and Tooru seems the type to keep to himself."

"True. What am I, then, in your eyes?" Yuujiro's golden eyes glittered.

"Obviously, the trickster that isn't quite sure what to do with himself, despite confidence greater than the world." Masa turned back to the lesson, leaving Yuujiro to stare at him.

Akira glanced at Masa out of the corner of his eye. "Inoue-san, I would like to talk to you after class."

"Of course, Sakamoto-sama."

The bell rang, and Masa stood up and accompanied Akira out of the room, leaving Tooru and Yuujiro to deal with the throngs of admirers.

"What is it?" Masa asked, his stomach growling. "I'm finally getting used to this eating lunch thing."

"It seems that those boys that were over at the Art hallway were not students of this school. As such, I would like to apologize for the lapse in security. Is there anything I can do to make it up to you?" Akira asked, bowing deeply.

Masa stared in bewilderment at the green-haired boy. "Why should you apologize? You didn't do anything wrong."

"A Princess was in danger. Therefore, we must make reparations. Please, tell me what you would like."

"Hmm. Okay, how about...I give you an answer at a later date? I'm sure I'll think of something." Masa shrugged. "Nothing I really need at the moment."

Akira looked mildly distraught, but accepted the answer with a sigh. "If you're sure, Inoue-kun."

"Now, let's go get some lunch. Tooru, Yuujiro, are you two coming along?"

"Yes," Tooru called. "Please excuse us, everyone." The two emerged, slightly dishevelled. The four walked down the hallway, chatting about the weather and other general pleasantries.

"Man, everyone gets so clingy after a photo shoot," Mikoto complained once the other three Princesses sat down.

"What, is only your girlfriend allowed to touch you now? What about us, Miko-chan?" Tooru cried despondently. "You're leaving us for her?"

"Tooru! Stop that," Mikoto protested. "People will get the wrong idea."

"What could that possibly be?" Masa asked, fluttering his eyelashes at the redhead. "After all, we're in this together."

"Not you too, Masa!" Mikoto wailed. "They got to you!"

"I'm just joking, Mikoto," Masa assured the redhead. "I think the students would be crushed."

"Probably." Yuujiro sighed as he picked at his meat. "It's almost time to go get ready."

"Fine, let's go," Tooru said as he picked up his plate. The other three followed suit, and soon were back at the home ec lab.

"This time, I wanted to go with the classic Goth Lolita outfit," Natosho said, admiring the four Princesses. "It's such an elegant look, especially with the headbands and collars...and the stockings and boots are so slimming..." He trailed off, staring at the four boys with adoration.

"Well, shall we? Tooru extended his elbows. Yuujiro and Masa hooked their elbows through his, Yuujiro grabbing the weakly protesting Mikoto with his other arm. The four of them went trotting through the halls, drawing exclamations from the students.

"The four Princesses! Good afternoon!"

"Please continue to lighten our hearts!"

"Our love is never-ending like the seasons!"

Mikoto dragged his feet as they went outside to the baseball diamond. "I hate this," he muttered.

"Well, it's our job for the rest of the year. Get used to it, Mikoto," Yuujiro said, lightly elbowing the redhead, who yelped.

"Everyone, give it your best!" Masa cried, waving and beaming.

"Please try hard!" Tooru called, glancing at Masa.

"We're cheering for you!" Yuujiro added with a smile.

The players cheered and went back to their practice with renewed energy. The same went for the tennis and soccer clubs, the Princesses reinvigorating the players and making them try their hardest to win the Princesses' affection.

"Enough already," Mikoto grumbled as they left the tennis field. "Let's hurry and get home. I want to take a bath."

"True, it does get quite hot in these outfits," Masa murmured, fanning himself. "Let's go back to the home ec room so we can change."

On the way there admirers thronged them.

"Yuujiro-hime! Please grace us with your smile!"

"Oh, Tooru-hime, you are looking beautiful today!"

"Ah, Mikoto-hime, you look so cute in that outfit!"

"Masa-hime! How wonderful to see you!"

"Thank you very much for the compliments, everyone," Masa said, blushing and smiling, causing an outburst of sighs of happiness. "Please look forward to our future costumes."

"You really got this down quickly," Tooru murmured as the four exited the mob. Quickly entering the home ec room, Tooru, Yuujiro and Mikoto shucked their clothes and changed quickly.

"I can't wait to get back to the dorms," Mikoto said with a relieved sigh. "It was more exhausting than usual today."

Masa was staring at his phone.

"Masa? What's up?" Tooru inquired, seeing an odd look on the brunette's face.

"Ah, nothing, don't worry about it. You guys go ahead, I'll catch up with you later. I need to talk to the teacher about History class." He grinned and waved them on.

"Well, if you're sure." Mikoto looked doubtfully at the Princess of Winter. "We'll see you back at the dorm." They left, and Masa put his head in his hands.

"Seriously, Kaoru...what are you doing, calling me? Why won't you ever call him?" he muttered, tapping his phone against his forehead. With a sigh, he quickly changed back into his uniform, then trotted towards the dorm.

He had a group of followers as he made his way back. "Good afternoon, everyone," he said as he walked. "Thank you very much for escorting me back to the dorms."

"No problem, Masa-hime! Thank you for your hard work." The mob nodded as Masa turned and gave them a quick smile. "Be careful."

"I will." He quickly opened the door to the dorm and darted in, jogging to the P-Room. Seeing it was unlocked, he sighed with relief as he shut the door and went to his room. He poked his head into Mikoto's room. "You guys ready?"

"Yeah, just let me grab a towel…" Mikoto hunted around in his drawer before finally emerging with a white towel. "There we go. All right, Yuujiro, Tooru, let's go," he called.

The two emerged from the room on the far right. "We're ready. Grab your stuff, Masa," Tooru said with a grin. Masa hurried and grabbed his towel, soap, shampoo and conditioner.

"Oh, we'll help you take your makeup off. You'll get the hang of it before long," Yuujiro said thoughtfully as he left the room. "Tsuji-senpai, we're ready," he said, and the tall senior guided them to the bath. Two burly students sat on either side of the door, which had a sign on it warning everyone to stay out.

"Don't worry, Princesses, we'll protect you," the two students said with a grin.

"Thank you very much," the four boys chimed as they entered the bath.

"Ah, it feels so good to get all that sweat off." Mikoto quickly stripped and jumped into the large bath, while Yuujiro and Tooru sat down at the showers.

"I guess it does, doesn't it?" Masa murmured. He quickly changed and joined Mikoto in the bath, the steam quickly accumulating in the small room.

"I wonder what's in store for the rest of the week," Mikoto said despondently.

"Ah, that reminds me." Yuujiro paused as he was shampooing his hair. "We're going to cheer at the preliminary rounds for all of the clubs."

"What?!" Mikoto shrieked. "Outside? In our Princess outfits? No way!"

"Akira told me today. We're supposed to visit the student council room tomorrow at lunch to get the schedule. Apparently he's cooked up some schemes to inspire the students."

"How many clubs are there in Fujimori?" Masa inquired, sinking up to his chin in the bath.

"I think 15." Yuujiro counted off on his fingers. "Around there, anyway."

"Well, let's do our best." Tooru whistled as he rinsed his hair, then joined the two in the bath. They could barely see each other for the steam. Masa hopped out, grabbing his towel and sitting on the drums at the shower. Yuujiro glanced over at him.

"What's with the long towel?" he asked teasingly. "Afraid we're going to try to take advantage of you?"

"Of course not," Masa said with a disdainful sniff. "I know judo, there's no chance you could ever manage that. I guess it's just a habit from my house," he said with a shrug. "Plus this one is much warmer and fluffier than your towel." Masa raised an eyebrow at Yuujiro's towel.

"I don't believe that," the blonde laughed, reaching over and feeling Masa's towel. His eyes widened. "Or maybe I do," he amended.

"It's a lot gentler on my skin," Masa explained with a laugh. Mikoto joined them at the showers as Yuujiro finished washing his hair.

"You guys are lucky, you don't have that much hair to wash," Yuujiro sighed.

"Yeah, but you don't have to wear a wig," Tooru pointed out. "They're hot and itchy."

"I suppose. Here, Masa, I'll help you with your makeup." Yuujiro leaned over and grabbed a bottle from beside him. "Lotion and makeup remover will be your best friends for the year," he said with a grin.

"I hate this," Mikoto grumbled. "It's such a pain to get off, and it runs or smears."

Tooru laughed. "But you look so good, Mikoto. It's almost a crime."

"No! That's not true!" Mikoto teared up.

"Yeah, everyone probably figures you and your girlfriend are just out shopping," Yuujiro said as he gently removed the makeup from Masa's face.

"Thanks," Masa said with a quick grin. He then proceeded to wash his face, the three ignoring the redhead's protesting cries. "Finished," he said shortly afterwards.

"You're lucky, Masa. Your hair looks messy no matter what, so you don't even have to do anything to it."

"You have no idea how early I usually get up to make it mildly manageable," the brunette said with a sigh, running his hand through his damp hair. "I'm going to get changed."

"Okay. We'll see you back in the room," Yuujiro said as he hopped into the bath. He noticed a large bandage on top of Masa's pile of clothes. "Oh, by the way, Masa. What's with that bandage?"

"Oh, this?" Masa paused and held up the length of cloth. "Ah, I have a large scar on my chest from surgery when I was small. I cover it with this."

"I see...Does Natosho know?" Mikoto asked, a concerned look crossing his face. "What kind of surgery?"

"Oh, I just had a small heart problem when I was born. Nothing big. And yeah, I told him this morning. He said he'd keep it in mind when designing our outfits. Nothing too low-necked for me, I guess." Masa laughed as he gathered up his clothes and changed, leaving the three boys to stare as he exited the bath.

Back in the P-Room, the four Princesses were gathered in Mikoto's room. Tooru and Yuujiro were on the bottom bunk, Mikoto on the top, Masa sitting in the chair at the desk.

"So, Masa, what hobbies do you have?" Tooru inquired. "I mean, it feels like we've known you for a long time."

"It's only been two days," Yuujiro pointed out.

"In normal time, yeah," Mikoto grumbled. "In Princess time, it's two _years_."

Masa laughed. "What, do you want my history or something?"

Tooru sat up, causing Yuujiro to squirm to readjust himself to a comfortable position. "Well, how about we have a general Q and A? I mean, I don't know much about you three either."

"Sounds like fun." Yuujiro's golden eyes gleamed. "One asks a question, everyone answers."

"Okay, let's play rock-paper-scissors to see who gets the honour of asking first." Tooru counted down and the four extended their hands. "Rock, rock, paper, paper. Well. Yuujiro and I are out," he said with a pout.

"All right, one more time." Mikoto's face was fiercely determined, and Masa had to laugh at how seriously the redhead was taking this.

Mikoto picked rock and Masa picked scissors.

"Okay! So, do any of you have girlfriends?" he asked, grinning broadly.

"Nope," Yuujiro said bluntly.

"I'm afraid not," Masa said with a grin.

"No," Tooru said after a pause.

"We don't need one. We have you, Mikoto," Yuujiro said, hanging his head over the edge of the bunk. "You're enough of a woman for us."

"Stop that! I never wanted this," Mikoto cried.

"My turn, my turn," Tooru said, interrupting Mikoto's long list of grievances against the blonde. "Hobbies."

"Let's see. I like cooking and music," Masa said thoughtfully.

"Cooking, really? Can you do it well?" Mikoto asked, intrigued.

"I guess. No one's ever complained, anyway," the brunette said with a snicker.

Mikoto nodded sagely. "I was on the swim team."

""I used to be on the track and field team," Tooru said after a moment. "But that was it."

"That explains these muscles," Yuujiro said as he squeezed Tooru's calf, causing the blue-eyed boy to jump. "As for me, not much other than being a Princess. I guess  
I did used to draw. Let's see. Something you can't stand."

"Being a Princess," Mikoto piped up instantly. Yuujiro hung his head over the side again and threw a pillow at the redhead.

"Other than that."

"Um. I guess I don't like ghost stories," Tooru said after a moment's consideration. "Does that count?"

"Sure." Yuujiro shrugged and glanced over at Masa, who had his head on his arms. "You, Masa?"

"I don't like rain," the brunette said quietly.

"I hate it when people crack their joints," Mikoto said with a shiver. "Creeps me out."

"I see, I see."

"Hey, are you filing away our weaknesses?" Mikoto suddenly asked, a fearful look on his face.

"Of course not." Yuujiro gave Mikoto the dazzling smile reserved for fans. "Whyever would you think that?"

"It's obvious! I mean, why else would you ask a question like that?" Mikoto said, anguished. "Anyway, it's Masa's turn."

"Mmm." Masa sat up, looking thoughtfully out the window. "First love."

"Megumi-san!" Mikoto looked quite proud. "She's my only love."

"Oh, so she's named Megumi? And since you added san, she's older than you...Mikoto, you sly dog." Tooru laughed. "Mine would have been...Chihiro Kazuki, back in third grade. She was pretty."

"Mine was in sixth grade," Yuujiro murmured. "But she shot me down. Said she didn't want to go out with someone prettier than she was."

This sent Mikoto into peals of laughter. "Beauty is a burden, eh?" he said between giggles.

"I hate you, Mikoto," Yuujiro said, frowning. Mikoto stopped laughing abruptly, staring with a horrified expression at the blonde, mouth gaping.

"I was joking," he said after a moment. Mikoto's lip trembled.

"You're so mean, Yuujiro!"

"Anyway, I think it's time for bed," Masa said with a yawn. "I'm going to go change. See you in the morning, guys." He stumbled out the door, narrowly missing the frame.

"Hey, are you okay, Masa?" Tooru asked, dismounting from the bed. "Were you in the bath for too long?"

"Nah, it's okay. I stood up too fast." Masa laughed and waved off the concern. "Good night."

"Night," the three boys chorused.

"I guess we'd best be going to bed too, eh, Tooru?" Yuujiro said with a glance at Mikoto.

"Yeah. Who knows what we'll have to do tomorrow." The blue-haired boy stretched and they bade goodnight to Mikoto.

"Oh, I forgot to ask Masa something. I'll meet you in the room," Yuujiro said, snapping his fingers. Tooru nodded and went to change as Yuujiro rapped on Masa's door.

"I'm coming in," he said as he opened the door. "Masa, I forgot to ask you-"

Yuujiro stopped dead in his tracks as he stared at the brunette. 

"Ah," Masa said quietly.

Masa was in the middle of changing, his pants discarded, shirt pulled over his head. The bandage had fallen away, revealing a large, thick scar down his chest.

"Um, Masa..." Yuujiro said after a moment.

"Yes?" He glanced down. "Oh. Right. I forgot about that."

Yuujiro blushed bright red and slammed the door shut, stumbling back to his and Tooru's room in a daze.

"Did you find out-whoa, Yuujiro, what happened?" Tooru was alarmed at the shade of red that the blonde's face was.

"N-nothing," Yuujiro muttered, covering his face with his hands as he flopped onto his bed. "I-uh...never mind." The golden-eyed boy lay there for long moments as Tooru got onto the top bunk, then quickly changed. "Good night." He clicked the lights off, and soon all that could be heard was the rustling of blankets.

Sleep did not come to Yuujiro Shihoudani that night, the moonlight revealing an awestruck look as the Princess of Summer tried to comprehend what he had seen.

Sleep did not come to the Princess of Winter either, but for an entirely different reason. Light peeped through the crack of the door as Masa stood, pondering what to do.

"Well, that's lovely," he murmured. "Well, mom, it looks like my life here at Fujimori just got more complicated. I knew I should have locked the door. On my second day...Dad is not going to be impressed." The brunette sighed and resumed changing, the moon a witness to a startling piece of information.

Masa Inoue, the Princess of Winter, was, in fact, a girl.


	4. Part Three: A Meeting of Minds

Part Three: A Meeting of Minds with Strange Results

"Problems can become opportunites when the right people come together." -Robert South

"So that's the story, eh?"

A tinny voice rang through the cell phone's speaker.

"Yeah." Masa sighed, running a hand through unruly hair. "What do I do now, Dad?"

"Well, it all depends on what Yuujiro-kun does. If he's willing to keep your secret, then life should be good, correct? I mean, your dorm _does _have private showers along with the bath. Your second day...what have I been teaching you?" An echoing sigh answered Masa's. "I guess talk to Yuujiro-kun in the morning."

Masa grimaced. True, she had been expecting to be revealed eventually, but not quite this early. "I'd hate to have to transfer out," she muttered, rubbing the bridge of her nose. "I mean, I just got here. And Dad! I get to eat _lunch_!" Her voice rose in exultation at that fact. "Seriously! Like a meal! It's awesome!"

"...Can you concentrate, Masa-chan? If Yuujiro decides to let the principal know, there isn't all that much I can do for you."

"I know, I know." The brunette flopped onto the bed. "I'll figure something out, don't worry. I'll call you tomorrow and let you know."

"All right. Good night, and for heaven's sakes, start locking your door when you change."

"Yeah, yeah. Night Dad," Masa grumbled. She'd been unmasked ten minutes prior, when Yuujiro Shihoudani had walked in on "him" changing.

Masa Inoue had been planning on living at the Fujimori Dorms as a boy, since Fujimori School was an all-boy's school.

"Why did I have to pick such a school?" she muttered. "There were plenty of others..." She trailed off, hazel eyes unfocusing. "But this one is the best. No matter what, I have to stay here." She clenched her fist determinedly. "Tomorrow I talk to Yuujiro!"

Unfortunately, sleep didn't come to the brunette.

"What's with you two this morning?" Mikoto asked, his crimson eyes staring concernedly at Yuujiro and Masa.

"Yeah, I heard Yuujiro muttering this morning," Tooru added with a quirked eyebrow.

"It's nothing," Masa said, flapping a hand towards her concerned friends. As far as Tooru and Mikoto knew, Masa was a boy.

"Shut up, Mikoto," Yuujiro said darkly. Dark circles were under the blonde's eyes, the only flaw in his otherwise impeccable appearance.

"Good morning Inoue-san, Shihoudani-san, Kouno-san, Yutaka-san," Akira said, waving as the four caught up to him. His large green eyes were inquisitive as he glanced at Tooru and Mikoto, who shook their heads.

"Today you four don't have any Princess duties other than appealing to the students," the green-haired boy said with a quick smile. "Although the preliminaries are coming up."

"That's great," Mikoto said with a grin. "Wait, will we have to dress up if the teams win?" The redhead's eyes widened in alarm.

"Of course," Tooru chided him. "It's our job, remember? Our _job_." He elongated the last word, stretching it out.

"I'm going ahead," Yuujiro said suddenly, increasing his pace. His long blonde hair floated behind him as he stalked off, the approaching students suddenly backing off at the dark aura surrounding the Princess of Summer. They weren't daunted for long, however, although most cheerfully greeted the other three Princesses.

"Good morning, Princesses! Please grace us with your smile on this gloomy morning!" they cried.

"Morning," Mikoto said with a sigh at the mob.

"Good morning everyone," Tooru said with his bright smile.

Masa suddenly yawned, blinking back involunary tears that accompanied the movement. "A good morning to you all," she said, rubbing her eyes.

"Ah, Masa-hime, you're too cute," one student said, moving as if to hug her. Mikoto was already swarmed, being carried off towards his classroom by the tide of students.

"Please stay back," Masa warned, an undercurrent of ice in her tone. Her hazel eyes flashed briefly before showing concern. "I fear I may be catching a cold and do not want to pass it on."

"I'd love to have your cold, Masa-hime," the students sighed. Tooru just beamed and grabbed Masa's arm, leading her away as Akira quickly caught the mob's attention.

"It's too bright for your smile," Masa grumbled. She stared at her shoes, wondering how she was going to talk to Yuujiro when her stomach suddenly growled.

"Didn't you have breakfast?" Tooru asked, glancing at Masa out of the corner of his eye.

"No. Didn't really have the energy." This was interrupted by another loud yawn.

"You're going to be useless today, aren't you? And Yuujiro as well." Tooru frowned.

"Don't worry, I'll be fine." Masa waved off Tooru's concern. "Come on, we're going to be late." The pair hurried to 1-D. Yuujiro was nowhere to be seen; a quick inquiry determined that he hadn't been to the classroom yet.

"Maybe he's not feeling well?" Tooru wondered. "I guess we'll wait until role call to check the infirmary."

Masa nodded, eyelids drooping. She slapped her cheeks. "Stay awake, stay awake."

Tooru just shook his head. "That's not going to work."

"It's my only option right now," Masa snapped. Seeing Tooru's hurt expression, she sighed. "Sorry, sorry...it was a long night."

"Wanna talk about it?" the blue-eyed boy asked.

"No."

Akira then entered the classroom, and the students settled down as the teacher went through the role call.

"Shihoudani?" The teacher paused. "Is Shihoudani attending to his duties?"

"No, sensei," Akira piped up. "It seems he isn't feeling well."

This, of course, got the students in an uproar about how they were going to visit their Princess right now.

"Oi, all of you, please consider Yuujiro," Masa said suddenly, voice cutting through the ruckus. "It may be that all he needs is rest, which he certainly can't get with all of you around him, am I correct?" This may have sounded harsh if Masa hadn't been giving her own Blinding Smile.

The teacher smiled gratefully at the brunette, who promptly slid back in her seat. "Akira, if you could-" he began.

"Ah, sensei, I can go check on Yuujiro," Tooru said quickly.

The teacher nodded, and Tooru left the room, briefly putting his hand on Masa's shoulder as he passed her.

Morning classes passed in a haze for Masa, who was barely aware of her surroundings. At lunch, Akira caught up to her.

"Inoue-san?" he asked, moving in front of her.

"Huh? Pardon?" Masa asked, aware that Akira had apparently been talking to her.

"I asked if you wanted to go get lunch," the class president said, peering intently at her. "Are you okay?"

"As good as ever, Sakamoto-sama," Masa said with a forced grin. "I...I'll just grab some bread from the cafeteria for today. I don't think Tooru and Yuujiro will be joining Mikoto and I for lunch today." She paused. "I actually haven't seen Mikoto yet."

"Yes, Yutaka-san is at the other end of the school. So unless you have Princess duties, your chances of coming across him are slim." Akira paused, then saw Arisada.

"Ah! President Arisada! I had some questions to ask you about the preliminaries." He glanced at Masa. "Be careful, okay? Don't push yourself."

Masa laughed. "It's my third day. Hard to push myself." Akira took off, chatting animatedly with the student council president.

"Too many bright people out and about today," Masa muttered, rubbing her eyes. She felt stifled in the boy's uniform and unbuttoned her top two buttons, leaning against the wall. "I need to talk to Yuujiro." With that in mind, she stumbled off towards what she hoped was the infirmary.

A brief amount of wandering later, and she encountered Tooru. "Hey, Tooru." She peered at the sign of the room. "Oh, hey, I found it."

"The infirmary?" Tooru gave her a strange look.

"What?" the brunette demanded.

Tooru wordlessly pointed the opposite direction she had come from. Turning, Masa groaned. She had walked around the school when all she had to do was turn around.

"That is slightly unbelievable," Tooru said with a laugh.

"Shut up," she grumbled. "Yuujiro's in here?"

"Yeah. He's grumpy though, so be careful. The nurse is out right now, so it's just him. I'm going to see if I can recruit some senpais to guard the door." Tooru turned and headed off down the hall, apparently spotting some likely helpers; he called out and then trotted away.

Masa slipped into the infirmary, closing the door behind her. A quick glance around and she spotted three beds seperated by curtains; one was closed off. Walking up to it, she sighed.

"Tooru, did you find someone-" Yuujiro began, then jumped as Masa poked her head through the curtains. "What do you want?" the blonde demanded.

"Um. About yesterday night."

Yuujiro stared at the girl-pretending-to-be-a-boy. "And?"

"I know this is an enormous thing to ask, but...could you keep my gender a secret?" Masa sat down on the edge of the bed, her hazel eyes meeting Yuujiro's golden ones. "I have a goal I can accomplish only by coming to this school."

Yuujiro sat up, pondering for long moments. "You're a _girl_," he said finally, "pretending to be a boy that's pretending to be a girl at times?" He suddenly laughed, and Masa joined in, albeit haltingly. "Why should I?" he asked suddenly.

Masa shrugged helplessly. "I can't give you a reason. I mean, I can understand that you're uncomfortable with a girl being around you when you bathe and stuff."

Yuujiro suddenly blushed bright red, as if he hadn't thought of that. "I-I guess."

The brunette sighed. "I didn't realize that the bath also had private showers," she mused. "Although that wouldn't have really helped, considering I left my door unlocked. How much did you see?" she added conversationally.

Yuujiro was taken aback by her calm tone. "Uh, not much. Just...your, um. The underside. And, uh. Your..."

"So you saw the underside of my breasts and my underwear?" Masa deadpanned. Yuujiro nodded, looking away.

"Oh. You see more than that on a beach any day," Masa said cheerily. "I guess my shorts didn't really leave much to the imagination. Ah, well." She stared at the blonde, who was steadfastly refusing to meet her gaze.

"So? Are you going to inform the principal of my gender?"

Yuujiro thought it over. "I could, yes. But that wouldn't do anyone any good, really. I mean, you're a Princess. If word got out, the school would lose face. The principal would probably try to cover it up somehow." He paused. "Then again, you're a _girl_. But I guess if you just used the private showers, I'd have no problem." He suddenly looked up at Masa.

"I guess I'll keep it to myself. For now, anyway." The blonde grinned. "Until you stop interesting me."

"I shall do my utmost to pique your curiousity, Yuujiro-sama," Masa said dryly.

"So those bandages?" Yuujiro asked, yawning as he laid back.

"I _did_ have surgery when I was little. I had a viral infection that led to heart problems," she said defensively. "They cover that as well as what little I have on top."

Yuujiro suddenly laughed at Masa's frank tone. "God, you're so weird," he said between snickers. "What kind of girl goes to a boy's school?"

"Well, let's just say my family is unique," Masa muttered. "So don't tell anyone I'm a girl."

"Yeah, yeah." Yuujiro sighed and closed his eyes. "I'm going to have a nap."

Masa sighed. "Sounds nice." The blankets rustled, and Masa stood to go. A strange expression crossed her face as she suddenly swayed.

"By the way, Masa," Yuujiro began, then heard a thump. Opening an eye, he sat bolt upright as he saw Masa fall to the ground. Heart in his throat, Yuujiro leapt from the bed and knelt beside her. "Masa!" he said urgently. "Masa!"

Just then, the nurse appeared in the doorway. Seeing Yuujiro and Masa, he quickly scooped up the brunette's inert form and deposited it on the bed before rushing to some files.

When Masa awoke, an unfamiliar face loomed over her. She instinctively tried to elbow whoever it was in the face, but her body wouldn't respond.

"Ah, crap," she muttered. "Did I-?"

"You fainted, Inoue-kun." The man straightened. "Are you okay now? Don't sit up."

Yuujiro appeared from behind the man. "This is the school's doctor, Miyagi-sensei."

The nurse had warm green eyes and short black hair. Masa blinked a few times to reorient herself, then sluggishly moved her arms around.

"What are you doing?" Yuujiro asked, staring at her.

"Circulation," she muttered. "I have low blood pressure."

"Hypotension," the doctor clarified. "You'll need to stay here until I'm certain it's elevated."

Masa groaned. "I have class."

"You'll stay here," the doctor said. "You and Shihoudani-kun need to rest."

"I'm fine now, Miyagi-sensei," Yuujiro protested. "That nap did wonders."

"Sit!" the doctor roared.

Yuujiro sat obediently on the bed beside Masa's.

"Neither of you are moving until I say so." He turned and opened the door. "Quit gawking and get back to class," he said to the students outside of the infirmary. "They're just tired. Oh, Sakamoto-san. Come here, please."

Akira followed the doctor into the infirmary. "Can you please inform your teacher that these two will not be attending afternoon classes?"

"Sure, Miyagi-sensei." Akira nodded and was quickly sent on his way. Masa laid there for long moments, listening to the shuffling of papers, the swish of the doctor's coat, then Yuujiro's steady breathing, and soon was asleep.

Masa sat bolt upright, heart pounding as she attempted to discern where she was and what that sound was. Realizing it was the school bell, she slowly sat up and swung her legs over the edge of the bed, swinging them to ensure they were functioning properly. That ascertained, she rose and opened the curtains. Yuujiro was stretching, his golden eyes energetic again.

"So you're up and about?" he asked with a grin.

"Captain Obvious strikes again!" Masa mock applauded him as Yuujiro bowed.

"Come on, let's go." Yuujiro tugged the brunette out the door, waving as the doctor passed them in the hall. "It's almost time for supper."

Masa brightened at this prospect. "Awesome!" She almost skipped down the hall, greeting the hordes of students cheerfully.

"Oi, you two!" Mikoto called, waving them over. "About time! What were you doing?"

"Oh, don't worry, Mikoto," Yuujiro said with a sly glance at Masa. "I'm saving myself for you."

Mikoto's look of abject horror set the blonde to snickering. Tooru appeared from the music room, shaking his head.

"What about me, Yuujiro?" he asked, feigning hurt. "I thought..."

"Ah, there's enough love for everyone," Yuujiro said with a cheesy smile.

"I-you-that's-" Mikoto spluttered. "No! Never! No chance!"

"Ah, Mikoto, you're so cruel! My pure heart is broken by your harsh words," Yuujiro said, clutching his heart.

"Anyway, let's hurry up and go," Masa said, grabbing Mikoto's arm and grinning. "The students haven't seen us together all day today."

"Well, not that they're aware of, anyway," Yuujiro muttered. Tooru sighed as the four Princesses headed to the cafeteria, wondering what had gotten into them.

After supper, Masa sighed happily. "I love the food here."

"You sound like an old man after a drink," Tooru said with a laugh.

"What?" Masa yelped, shocked. "I do not! My gentle demeanor and youthful good looks perfectly match my exemplary patterns of speech and behaviour!"

"You have my apologies," Tooru said with a low bow. "My mistake. I must have mentally moved Mikoto's speech into your mouth."

"Tooru!" Mikoto wailed. "I hate you guys!"

"Hate is but a love gone wrong," Yuujiro said philosophically. "Besides, we hate you too."

Mikoto sniffled.

"Joking, joking," Yuujiro reassured the redhead. "Sheesh, we're always joking. I've said it before." He tousled Mikoto's hair and grinned.

"Anyway, let's get back to the dorms," Mikoto grumbled. "I wanna shower then call Megumi-san."

"Ah, you're still dating her? She hasn't found out about the Princess thing yet?" Tooru glanced at the redhead. "Well, well." He took off down the road laughing.

"Don't you 'well, well' me!" Mikoto bellowed, chasing after Tooru. "If you say anything, I'll-"

Yuujiro sighed. "Such children at times."

Masa grinned. "It just shows that they're adjusting well."

"I guess." The two walked in silence.

"This isn't how I figured it would go at all," Masa muttered.

"Pardon?"

"Oh. I mean, you realizing that. I thought it would be...more dramatic, you know? Like in a manga or something."

"Really? What are you, stupid?" Yuujiro said with a snicker. "You wanted me to extort you or something?"

"No," Masa grumbled. "I don't know. Never mind. Forget it."

"Just focus on your Princess duties. Maybe think of a better way to change?"

"Nah, I trust that Tooru and Mikoto won't be looking. Besides, I'll stick to my corner."

The blonde shook his head as they entered the dorm. "Whatever. Remember to lock your door tonight, will you?"

"Yeah, yeah, dad," Masa mumbled. "Ah, crap. That reminds me." She quickly waved to Yuujiro as she headed back to her room. "I'll make sure to use the private shower today."

Yuujiro blushed. "Yeah."

And so the days passed. The four Princesses would dress in whatever Natasho-senpai had planned for them, greeting the students and bringing a ray of sunshine to an otherwise dreary school life. They cheered for the school teams at the preliminaries and boosted morale, dealt with fans and photo shoots, and grew accustomed to life at Fujimori.

"Ah, your exam's tomorrow," Akira said after consulting a binder full of events and information. He glanced up at the four Princesses.

"Sakamoto-sama, that thing has grown considerably," Yuujiro said with amazement. The binder was quite thick and looked to be extremely heavy.

"Well, I figure it will help me keep track of all the things the President does," the green-haired boy said in embarrassment.

"Wow, you're dedicated," Mikoto said with awe. "I couldn't keep up with that guy."

"Exams?" Masa asked, suddenly aware of what Akira had said. "I thought midterms were next month?"

"The physical exam," Tooru said with a sigh. "Seems you and I will need to be looked at, Masa."

"Oh? I guess, yeah. I mean, they have my medical record, but..." The brunette mulled this information over. A look of surprise followed by shock crossed her face.

"What?" Mikoto asked, slightly taken aback.

"Ah, nothing," Masa said with a shaky laugh. "I just...um. Never mind. Oh, I forgot. I need to go talk to...uh. Excuse me." She quickly exited the door, dashing through the halls outside.

"Crap! I completely forgot! How am I supposed to manage with _that_?" she muttered, pounding her fist against the school. "What am I going to do? I can't...there's got to be a way!"

She heard a window opening and whirled. A flash of white, then the school doctor leaned out the window. He lit a cigarette, then spotted Masa.

"Oh, Inoue-kun." He exhaled. "Ready for your exam tomorrow?"

"Do I really need to?" Masa asked quietly. "I mean, you've got my records. I don't really...want anyone to see."

"Your scar?"

Masa nodded, looking at the ground.

"Nothing to be ashamed about!" the dark haired doctor laughed. "I've got a scar the length of my forearm from falling out of a tree! Besides, I'll need to draw blood and ensure you're eating properly. Plus, it'll be just you and Kouno-kun."

"I was fine before," the brunette muttered.

"That's because what you ate was on par with what your previous doctor set out for you. You didn't need to eat lunch," Miyagi reprimanded. "Now, however, we'll need to monitor your blood levels."

"I never thought of that," Masa said, chagrined. "Any way I can get out of it?"

"Nope. It's a part of life. You'll get used to it."

"If only," she muttered darkly.

"Ah, can you come here? I have to talk to you regarding your medication." Miyagi turned and grabbed a chart, consulting it briefly. "I'll need to see if you need to start taking it again. Seems your last appointment was quite some time ago."

"Yes, sir," Masa said dully. "I'll be there in a moment."

Yuujiro met her at the door. "What was that all about?" he inquired.

"Me and a physical exam? Think about it," she snapped. "It'll be over."

"Ah. I guess you're right." The blonde fell silent. "Where are you going?"

"The infirmary."

"Wrong way, idiot." Yuujiro shook his head. "You're hopeless."

"Shut up," Masa said angrily. "I'm not in the mood for this right now."

"Ah, Princesses! Good afternoon," students called.

Masa beamed at them. "A good day to you all. I hope you're all well."

"Wow. That's just...amazing," Yuujiro muttered.

"Yeah, well, I get by," Masa murmured as she passed through the crowd. The bell rang, signalling the end of school, and Tooru and Mikoto passed them.

"Where are you two headed?" Mikoto asked.

"Infirmary. I need to talk to Miyagi-sensei," Masa said curtly. "Ah, I see it. Thanks, Yuujiro. I'll be fine from here."

"Did he get lost before?" Tooru said wonderingly.

"Yeah. Come on, let's go. Mikoto, shouldn't you be studying for that test in two days?" Yuujiro tugged the two boys toward the dorm.

"What? How do you know about that?" Mikoto demanded.

"What, you didn't know? We bugged you." Tooru smiled at the redhead.

Masa ignored Mikoto's outraged shrieks as she entered the infirmary. She shivered at the trays of instruments, the cabinets, the containers. She hated hospitals.

"Ah, Inoue-kun. Good. Now..." Miyagi quizzed her on her previous medications, how long she took them, what the dosage was, and how many she had to take.

"Yes, I took vitamins as well-oh, excuse me." Masa's phone was ringing in her pocket, the tune from an anime. She quickly exited the infirmary.

"Yes?"

"Did you think about your physical?" her dad blurted.

Masa sighed. "Yes, dad, I did. Not much I can do about it though." She rubbed her temple. "It's tomorrow."

"Oh." The line fell silent.

"I guess I'll pack my stuff tonight. Man, I didn't even think of that." Masa smiled wryly. "Miyagi-sensei is in for a shock. I guess I can just ditch and leave the school, though."

"Wait, did you say Miyagi?" her dad asked suddenly.

"Yes, why?"

"Takashi Miyagi?"

"I dunno." She turned and looked on the door. "That seems to be his name."

"Ah ha! Put me on the phone with him, Masa-chan." Her dad sounded smug.

"What? Why? What can you do that I can't?" the brunette inquired snarkily, although she felt a small hope rising.

"Just do it."

Masa sighed and re-entered the room, holding her phone out to the doctor. "Um, it's my dad. He wants to talk to you."

"Oh, okay. I guess I should ask him...Hello, Inoue-san?" The doctor was silent for a moment, then paled. "Ah...um. I-I can't really...wait, what?" His expression changed from bewilderment to amazement. "You're still...what? Inoue-kun..."

The doctor stared at Masa.

"I see," he said finally. "I appreciate your thoughts on the matter. Yes, I understand completely. Good day." He hung up, an expression of amazement on his face.

"Well, Inoue....kun." Miyagi said finally.

"Yes?" the brunette asked.

"It seems...you're not what you appear."

"I-uh. I can explain," she began, lamely. "Actually, I can't, but..."

"No need. Your father...well, let's just say that I've knew him a while back, and he called in a favor." Miyagi sighed. "Okay. Well, I'll keep in mind that you're a girl. Make sure you come to me if you need anything. For heaven's sakes, be careful. I can't cover for you any more than for examinations."

"Yes, Miyagi-sensei." Masa stared at the doctor in shock. "You knew my dad?"

"Yes," the doctor grimaced. "Let's leave it at that."

Masa's mind whirled. "Wait, so that means that I can keep attending Fujimori?"

"For now, yes. I'm finished with you, so come back tomorrow." He turned away, busying himself with the contents of a container.

"Thank you, Miyagi-sensei," Masa said cheerily. She ran out into the hall and back to the dorms, beaming.

"Welcome back," Tooru said, catching sight of her. "What are you so happy about?"

"Ah, nothing," she said with a grin. "I just...talked to my dad about some stuff."

"Well, we'll go to the infirmary at one. It seems we need to cheer the basketball team tomorrow at two, so hopefully Miyagi-sensei will be done with us by then." Tooru fell silent, musing, as they walked to the P-Room. He muttered something about "homework" and retreated back to his and Yuujiro's room as the blonde emerged.

"Oh, Masa. Can I talk to you?" He nodded towards her room. He closed the door behind them, whirling to glare at the brunette.

"What?" Masa asked, smiling angelically.

"I'm going to guess you figured out a way to fool Miyagi-sensei?" Yuujiro questioned.

"Yep. Let's just say I had someone take care of it." She raised her eyebrows mysteriously.

"Seriously, why do I even bother to worry?" Yuujiro muttered.

"Because I am just _that_ interesting," Masa retorted dryly. The blonde stuck his tongue out at her, who made a weird face in return.

Mikoto rapped twice and poked his head in the door. Only seeing Masa's strange face, he burst out laughing, which mingled with Yuujiro's snickering. Tooru, hearing the commotion, walked into Masa's room to see Mikoto and Yuujiro on the ground laughing.

"What's so funny?" the blue-eyed Princess asked, staring at the two as if they had gone insane.

"M-M-his face," Mikoto heaved, then coughed in an attempt to get himself back under control.

"What, this face?" Masa asked, raising an eyebrow.

Tooru stared at the brunette incredulously before he joined Yuujiro and Mikoto on the floor.

"Waz zo unee, uyz? Iz thar somfin on ma faz?" Masa asked, attempting to be serious through her ridiculous expression. This simply sent the three Princesses into gales of laughter.

"Seriously, it's not that funny, is it? ....Guys?"

Apparently it was. For the rest of the night, whenever the three saw Masa's face, they'd snicker, then laugh. Masa eventually joined in, realizing that she didn't have anything to worry about-at least not in the "Gender Discovery" part of her school life. When she fell asleep, she didn't realize she had missed a call, the caller ID reading "Kaoru Inoue".


	5. Part Four: Identity Confusion

_(Author's note: 'Aniki' is a way to refer to an older brother. -Tejina)_

Part Four: Identity Confusion, Among Other Things

"One of the strongest forces in the human personality is the drive to preserve the integrity of our own identity."

"Ah...uh oh."

Masa stared at her cell phone. It had died on her last night, and so she had charged it during classes. Once she turned it on, she was greeted with a flurry of text messages and missed calls.

All were from "Kaoru Inoue".

Tooru peered over the brunette's shoulder. "Inoue? Is that a relative of yours, Masa?"

"Yeah." A frown marred her face as her hazel eyes narrowed. "What do _you_ want, Kaoru?" she muttered. Exhaling loudly, she deposited her phone in her pocket.

"Aren't you going to respond? Sounds like they need something," Mikoto said curiously.

"I will, but not right now." She waved to the students outside, many enjoying the warm spring weather. "We have to go and see Arisada today, remember?"

Mikoto grimaced. "I wonder what kind of scheme he came up with now."

Yuujiro shrugged nonchalantly. "Does it really matter?" He swiped a long, blonde bang out of his eyes. "It's our job, Mikoto."

The redhead sighed.

Tooru glanced at his watch, then looked around. "I think Sakamoto-sama was going to meet us here...Oh, there he is."

The tall, green-haired boy appeared from around a corner, waving at the four Princesses.

"Good afternoon," he called. "It seems that the President is waiting for you at the picnic tables. Follow me," Akira said, beckoning. Raising eyebrows, the four obediently followed him around the school.

Masa stared in amazement. There were picnic tables set up on the lawn, many students lounging on them or whispering amongst themselves. They all sat up when the Princesses arrived.

"Oh, Princesses! It's a nice day outside!"

"Indeed," Tooru said with a bright smile.

"Nowhere near as nice as yourselves," one student sighed.

"Ah, you're making me blush," Masa said, a hint of a flush reddening her cheeks.

Mikoto spotted the Student Council President enjoying tea with the rest of the council in a secluded grove. "Come on, guys. Now's not the time to cater to the whims of the students."

"Oh? Why not? I believe that is the essence of our duties," Yuujiro said through a smile as they entered the grove.

"Ah, Princesses. Please, have a seat." The president motioned towards the bench. "I have decided that you will be holding a fashion show in two weeks."

"A fashion show?" Even Yuujiro was slightly taken aback by this statement.

"Yes. The tickets should cover the cost of Natasho's materials, and of course, you'll get part of the profits from the sales of the merchandise resulting from the show."

Masa pondered this. "What kind of outfits would we be wearing?"

"That depends on what Natasho creates, but it would probably be...according to your titles." Arisada grinned slyly. "We'll ensure that your outfits are more breathable than last time, Masa-kun."

"That would be great," Masa said with a sigh of relief.

"Two weeks from now?" Tooru murmured. "Well, I don't see any reason not to."

"Oh, it will also be open to the public, or at least the ticket sales," Arisada mentioned in passing, attempting to wave it off as an inconsequential detail.

"WHAT?!" Mikoto shrieked. "We'll be seen? Dressed up like girls? By _other people_?"

"What are you so upset about?" Yuujiro asked, thumping the redhead. "You dressed up for the sporting events."

Mikoto blushed crimson as Masa snickered. A few of the sports teams had advanced beyond the preliminaries a few weeks ago, so the four Princesses had to cheer them on.

"I-it's just..." Mikoto groaned and held his head in his hands. "You guys are so weird, being okay with this..."

"The tickets are printed out, and Sakamoto-sama is in charge of advertising. We only made 500 tickets, so we'll be using the gymnasium...We'll need to commandeer a stage." Arisada seemed to forget the Princesses were there as he delegated and made quick decisions, Akira shadowing him and making notes.

"He's good at his job, that's for sure," Masa mumbled as she scratched her head.

"Definitely." Yuujiro stood, stretching. "I'm going to the library. Anyone want to come with me?"

"I will," Tooru volunteered. "I need to look some things up for history class, anyway."

"Masa? Mikoto?" the blonde inquired.

"Ah, I'm going to head back early," Masa said apologetically.

"I'm just going to go and hide," Mikoto grumbled.

"Try it," Yuujiro said with a devilish gleam in his eye. Mikoto paled and then shook his head angrily.

"Ah, whatever," the redhead grumbled. "I'm going to call Megumi-san."

"You should see if she wants to come," Yuujiro called over his shoulder as he and Tooru walked away.

"Never!" Mikoto squawked, heading back towards the main doors. "You guys better not mention this to anyone!" he bellowed as an afterthought.

Masa sighed and shook her head. "Well. Let's see what Kaoru wanted," she murmured, heading back towards the dorm.

"Well, well, look who _finally_ decided to call me!" The voice on the other end of the phone was fuming.

"I'm sorry, Kaoru, but-"

"No buts! You have no idea where I am, and I don't either!"

"...what?" Masa asked, confused.

"I decided to come visit you, but...I don't know where I am!"

"Oh. Are there any street signs near you? Did you come on the bus, or what? Does Dad know where you-"

"Do not even _mention_ that man to me!"

"Fine." Masa sighed. "Look around you. What do you see?"

"Um...there's a soba vendor. And a building that's falling apart. I think it says..." The voice faded for a moment. "...Akawa's Liquor?"

"Okay, stay put. I'll come and get you."

"But you'll get lost, too. We got those genes from somewhere, remember?"

Masa grimaced as she remembered her failed attempts to navigate around the school. "True. I'll get a friend. By the way, how much do you know-"

"Good stuff, I'll see you soon!"

_Click_.

Masa cursed. "Yuujiro and Tooru are in the library...by the time I find it, it'll be dark." She glanced at her watch. Supper was fast approaching. She dashed to the school and saw Mikoto on his way out.

"Ah, Mikoto! Um. How well do you know town?"

"Well enough, I guess," the redhead said, puzzled. "Why?"

"Ah, there's someone I need to pick up...but...they're lost."

"Oh. You want me to help you find them?"

"Yes, please!" Masa bowed. Mikoto laughed.

"No need to get all formal on me. What was around them?"

"Uh, a building...Akawa's Liquor, I think."

Mikoto tilted his head to the side for a moment, then his ruby eyes lit up. "Oh! That's over on 26th street. Luckily, it's not too far away."

Masa clapped in joy. "Awesome! We can make it back for supper!"

The two took off, going at a steady, but quick, pace.

"So, Mikoto, why did you come to Fujimori?" Masa asked as she jogged.

"Well, I...I guess, because it's the best in the area." The redhead shrugged as he ran. "Plus, my sister thought it would help me become more manly." He flushed. "Seems like that's getting further and further away."

"Nah, I think you're doing pretty good. I mean, you're doing something that goes against your normal set of beliefs, so that means you're learning more about the world."

"Really?" Mikoto pondered this. "Well, as long as Megumi-san doesn't find out, it's fine. Or Nee-chan." He shivered. "She can be tough."

Masa laughed.

"What about you, Masa? Do you have a clear goal here?"

"Well, I want to be a psychologist," she said with a lopsided grin. "So I figured going to an elite school would be a help with that."

"I see, I see. So you could counsel me when this traumatic event is over?" Mikoto said with a laugh.

"I could, but I'd still charge you. Maybe even double."

"What?!" Mikoto stopped running in shock. Masa just snickered as she passed him, and the redhead groaned and dashed to catch back up to her. "How do you deal with that? I mean, the cross-dressing. Doesn't it make you question yourself?"

"I'm confident enough in myself to know that no matter what, I'll still be Masa," she said with a smile. "Doesn't matter if I'm dressed as a girl or a boy."

"I see..." Mikoto fell silent as they ran. Glancing up, he stopped. "The liquor store should be around here somewhere."

Masa looked around. There was the building, quite run-down. A broken wooden sign has "Akawa's Liquor" written in sloppy characters. A soba vendor was sitting at his cart, chatting with a young girl.

"Oh, who's that?" Mikoto wondered, pointing to the girl.

Hearing people behind her, the girl turned. Her thick, black hair was messily arranged around a large pair of headphones, dark brown eyes widening at seeing the two. She was dressed in a pair of jeans with a large sweatshirt that covered her hands. She stooped and picked up a large bag, then trotted over to them.

"Oh, hey Kaoru," Masa began.

The girl glared at Masa, who sighed.

"Um, good afternoon," Mikoto said awkwardly. "I'm Mikoto Yutaka, Masa's friend from school."

"Kaoru Inoue," the dark-haired girl said. "Masa's younger brother."

Mikoto's mouth dropped open in shock before he remembered his manners. "Kaoru-kun? Nice to meet you." He laughed nervously, wondering what the two's parents looked like for them both to so easily seem female.

"Well, _Ayafuya_, let's go." Kaoru turned to Masa, eyes narrowed. He took in Masa's obviously male uniform and quirked an eyebrow.

"I'll explain later," Masa said in an undertone, nodding to Mikoto, who turned to head back.

"Come on Masa, Kaoru-kun. If we run, we can make it for supper."

This made Masa dash, Kaoru easily keeping up. Mikoto occasionally glanced over at the slender boy, marvelling at his grace. If the dark-haired boy noticed, he resolutely ignored it.

Masa groaned inwardly, having a feeling this was going to be interesting-although in a good or bad way, the brunette couldn't tell.

"How long are you planning on staying, Kaoru?" Masa demanded once they got back to the dorm. Unfortunately, they had just missed supper. Her stomach growled.

"Until next week. School's currently under repairs." The boy sprawled out on the top bunk in her room, taking in his surroundings. "Just make something if you're that hungry." He rolled over and put his head in his hands, staring at his sister.

"I haven't been to any stores. I don't even know where they are," Masa grumbled. "And I'm not going to suddenly decide to _visit_ someone _even if I don't know where they live_." This was punctuated with a glare towards the top bunk.

"Yeah, yeah," Kaoru mumbled. He scrambled down, then paused as he stood next to his sister. "I'm taller than you, you know."

"Shut up." Masa stood at about five foot two, but Kaoru was five six. "A kick to the kneecaps and you'll be shorter than me."

"Have you really been pretending to be a guy?" the dark-haired boy asked, mystified. "And what's with this 'P-Room'?"

"It's a long story," Masa sighed. "Let's leave it until tomorrow." She opened Kaoru's bag and rifled through it. "Hand me stuff, I'll put it away for you."

"So I can stay with you?"

"Not much else you can do, can you? Since you're not going to go home-"

"Never."

The brunette sighed. "You'll have to talk to Dad eventually, you know."

"Nope." Kaoru was resolute.

"Whatever."

Silence descended upon the room, interrupted by the sound of cloth and objects being moved around. Eventually, Kaoru's clothes were in the other side of the dresser, his miscellaneous goods near the photo Masa had.

"What are you going to do tomorrow?" Masa asked, suddenly realizing just what was going on. "I mean, I have class and other things. You can't sit in here all day, but I don't really want you wandering around campus."

"Is there a track or anything?" Kaoru asked from the floor.

"You're so sloppy," Masa muttered, giving her brother a gentle kick in the side. "Yeah, I'll show you where it is tomorrow morning. I'll also show you where my classroom is, although I may not be there...hmm, maybe we should just tell Sakamoto-sama that you're here..."

Kaoru was staring at his sister as she thought aloud. "So who are the other guys that live in these rooms?"

"Oh, I guess I should introduce you." Masa sighed. "As far as they know, I'm a guy. So please don't make any reference to the fact that I'm a girl."

"I know, I'm not stupid." Kaoru glared at the brunette.

Masa bit back a retort. She had ushered Kaoru into her room as soon as they got back, and they had been in there ever since.

Opening the door, she spotted Yuujiro and Tooru's door partially open. Rapping twice, she glanced inside. The blue-haired Princess was on his bed, reading. He looked up, and, seeing Masa, rose and opened the door completely.

"Masa, you missed supper," Tooru said in amusement. "I never thought I'd see that."

"Ah, well, I had to find someone," she said sadly.

"I got what I could from the cooks," he said, grabbing a container from the desk. "You'll have to heat it up, though."

"Ah! Tooru! Thank you," she said gratefully, nuzzling the container. "My stomach humbly thanks the great Tooru-sama."

He laughed, then noticed Kaoru.

"Oh. Right. Kaoru, this is Tooru." She motioned for her brother to come meet him. The dark-haired boy sized up Tooru. "Kaoru Inoue," he said finally, appraisal apparently complete. "Masa's younger brother."

Tooru looked slightly less shocked than Mikoto, but hid it better. "Tooru Kouno. I'm your brother's classmate." He looked over at Masa. "Is he staying with you?"

"Yeah, for a week. Seems his school is having repairs done."

The outside door clicked as Yuujiro appeared. "Ah, Masa. You missed supper."

"The joke's been done already, Yuujiro," Tooru said with a grin.

"Ah. Tooru's taking my fun," the blonde pouted. Spotting Kaoru, he paused. "Friend of yours?"

"This is Kaoru," Masa said with a flourish.

"Kaoru Inoue." He glared at the blonde, who stared back.

"You're quite the boy, aren't you?" Yuujiro murmured. "Well, Kaoru-kun. Nice to meet you, I'm Yuujiro Shihoudani. Masa's classmate."

"It seems that _Ayafuya _is quite popular," Kaoru said with a slight grin.

"Ayafuya...You mentioned that before." Mikoto's head popped out of his room. "The hall seems to be crowded. How about we all go into Tooru and Yuujiro's room?"

"What, you don't want us in your room, Mikoto?" Yuujiro teased. "Afraid we'll see your stash?"

"What? No way! I-" Mikoto began, then gave up, frowning at the blonde. "I hate you, Yuujiro," he muttered.

"Mikoto here is a fan of a more violent form of love," Yuujiro announced to Kaoru, grabbing the redhead and tugging him into the room. Kaoru stared at the three boys; Tooru and Yuujiro were on the bottom bunk, Mikoto sitting cross-legged against it. Kaoru sidled towards Masa.

"They're all quite...pretty," he whispered.

"So are you," she shot back. He glared at Masa, who whistled innocently.

"_Ayafuya_? Doesn't that mean...vague?" Tooru asked, glancing at Yuujiro for confirmation. He was the best at Japanese.

"Ambigious," the blonde clarified. "What an odd nickname for your brother." He looked at Kaoru out of the corner of his eye.

"Oh, well, it's just because Masa played all sorts of roles in the drama club," Kaoru hurriedly explained. "He dressed up as a girl more times than I could count."

"Ah! That explains your reaction," Mikoto said, thumping his fist into his palm.

"Reaction?" Kaoru inquired, puzzled.

"Ah, guys, let's leave the explanations until tomorrow, shall we?" Masa said hurriedly.

"Well, Kaoru-kun. What are you going to school for?"

"I want to become an electrician, so I'm over at Kisaru Technical School in Nagasaki."

"Oh? That's quite the distance from here," Tooru said. "What, three hour train ride?"

"Yeah. Plus, I got lost when I tried to find..._Aniki_." The word came out slightly strangled.

Yuujiro suddenly started laughing. "What, is it some sort of gene in your family? Masa gets lost all the time!"

Tooru snickered as well. "We gave him a map, but he doesn't seem to ever know where he's at, so it doesn't do him much good."

"I hope you two never go on long trips," Mikoto said philisophically.

"Aniki would never let me," Kaoru grumbled.

"Speaking of trips," Tooru suddenly said, sitting up. "Aren't we having a class trip fairly quickly?"

"I dunno," Yuujiro said lazily. "We'll probably end up not going."

"Why not?" Kaoru asked curiously.

"We have duties that may get in the way," Tooru said mysteriously, leaving Kaoru to puzzle out what the blue-haired boy meant.

"How old are you, Kaoru-kun?" Mikoto asked with a glare at Tooru.

"Fourteen."

"And you're living on your own?"

"For the most part. I've got part-time jobs to help support myself." Kaoru shrugged, like it was no big deal. "Dad lives over in Fukuoka, so I couldn't really stay there."

Mikoto nodded wisely. "That would be quite the commute."

"So, Kaoru-kun, do you have a girlfriend?" Yuujiro asked, a wicked gleam in his eye. The raven-haired boy blushed.

"No, of course not," he stammered, running a hand through his poofy hair.

"You two have the same 'messy hair look'," Tooru noted. "Although Kaoru-kun's is much fluffier than Masa's."

"What, are you saying my hair is flat?" Masa grumbled. "Look at these," she said, grabbing the thick strands of wavy hair.

"No, no, but compared to Kaoru-kun's, it's like sand compared to a mountain." Tooru dissolved into giggles as Masa mock-punched him.

"What kind of music do you listen to, Kaoru-kun?" Mikoto asked, noticing the headphones around his neck.

"Anything, really." The boy shrugged.

Masa noticed his conspicious lack of names. "Hey, guys, you're too familiar with my brother," she said loudly, suddenly clamping her arms around Kaoru. "He's going to call you all by your last names, since he only loves _me_."

"Oh ho! The possessive older brother side comes out!" Yuujiro said with a laugh. "Well, I'd be insulted if he called me Shihoudani-san. Yuujiro is good enough for Masa, so it's more than good enough for Kaoru-kun."

Masa fake-sobbed. "Yuujiro! How could you? I thought what we had was _special_!"

Kaoru stared in bewilderment at the strange situation unfolding around him.

"Are they...gay?" he whispered to his sister.

"Of course not," she murmured. "It's just something we do to tease each other."

"Uh, aniki. Could you let go of me? Besides, I feel awkward calling you all by your first names when I only met you today." The raven haired boy smiled half-heartedly.

"Mikoto, thoughts on this matter?" Tooru asked, reaching over and poking the redhead, who leapt, startled.

"What? Oh. Um. You can call me whatever you want." Mikoto, obviously distracted by something, gave a nonchalant wave in Kaoru's direction.

"Call him sweetie!" Yuujiro piped.

"I...uh." Kaoru exhaled loudly as he disengaged himself from his sister's grip. "While it was nice meeting you all, I think I'd best go to bed." He yawned mightily.

"We'll meet you two in the morning for breakfast?" Tooru asked, glancing at Masa, who nodded.

"Yeah. I'm going to ask Sakamoto-sama if he can show Kaoru to the track."

"Oh, you're into sports? What all do you do, Kaoru-kun?" Mikoto asked, interested.

"Well, pretty much anything. Track and field, soccer, basketball..." Kaoru shrugged. "I see, I see," Tooru said sagely. "Well. Maybe I'll join you out on the track."

"Actually, we all should," Yuujiro said after a moment. "God forbid we get fat."

"All right, that's enough for now," Masa said with a snort. "Good night."

"Night Masa, night Kaoru-kun," the three boys chimed.

Soon the siblings were in bed, silence broken only by the occasional sound of wildlife. Kaoru's whisper sliced through it like a knife.

"...you sure they're not gay, _aniki_?"


	6. Part Five: Plans, and Too Much Going On

_(Author's Note: randori: judo sparring, tachi-waza: standing up phase, ippon: one full judo point -Tejina)_

Part Five: Plans, and Too Much Going On For Their Liking

"Everybody's got plans... until they get hit." -Mike Tyson

"Wow..."

Kaoru exhaled in amazement at the large track spread before him. "You guys have so much space!"

"That is one of the strengths here at Fujimori," Masa said with a grin. "Seems like lots of the guys are here on scholarships." She spotted a flash of green. "Hey, Sakamoto-sama!"

"Sama?" Kaoru raised an eyebrow at the high-end honorific.

"He's next in line to be student council president," Masa said by way of explanation. "Although...there's probably another reason as well." She shrugged as the green-haired boy trotted over.

"Sakamoto-sama, this is Kaoru Inoue, my brother." She elbowed the raven-haired boy to make him bow.

"Nice to meet you," Kaoru said politely. "I hope Ayafuya isn't giving you too much trouble."

"Ayafuya?" Akira's green eyes were confused.

"Ah, I mean aniki." Kaoru laughed awkwardly. "Some habits die hard."

"Indeed. Are you here on tour, Inoue-san?"

"Ah, no, I'm staying with Masa while my school is renovated." Kaoru looked at his sister. "You did clear it with the right people, didn't you?"

"Well, I told Tsuji-senpai," the brunette shrugged. "He's in charge of the dorms, after all."

"I see. Well, I'd best be going, the president wanted me to go talk to the teachers. Nice to meet you," Akira said with a nod as he walked off. Kaoru stared as the green-eyed boy walked away.

"That one seems...normal, Ayafuya," he muttered.

Masa nodded wisely. "Wait until you meet the Student Council. They're blindingly bright."

"Like I care about that, idiot," Kaoru said with a snort. "I'll be fine here. Shouldn't you be getting to class?"

The bell rang, startling the brunette. "Ah, crap. Okay, see you at lunch, Kaoru!" She jogged to class, warmly greeting the students on her way.

"Oh, Masa. Did Kaoru-kun find the field? Did _you_ find the field?" Yuujiro asked with a grin.

"Hey, we're not _that_ navigationally impaired," Masa pouted. Tooru snickered. The teacher quickly called them to order, and the morning went by relatively peacefully.

During lunch, an announcement came over the PA system.

"Would the Princesses please gather in the home ec lab? I repeat, will the Princesses please go to the home ec lab? Thank you."

With a sigh, Tooru, Yuujiro, and Masa rose from their seats and walked to the home ec lab, Mikoto meeting them on the way.

"I wonder what this is about," the redhead said with a groan.

"Probably the fashion show." Tooru rubbed his eyes tiredly. "Hey, Masa, did you explain to Kaoru-kun about the Princess system?"

"No...he'll probably find out though," Masa predicted gloomily.

She was right.

Natasho-senpai bombarded them when they walked through the door.

"Ah, Princesses! You're looking lovely today, as usual! I have new outfits for you to wear at the basketball game today!" He twirled around giddily. "I also ordered some new makeup, since the old kind didn't adjust to your different skin tones as well as it should have." He fell silent for a moment, pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose. "Anyway! Here are your new dresses! I went with traditional ruffled skirt and the _cutest_ ribbons and laces. Here, Yuu-chan, Tooru-chan, you two wear these ones..."

Natasho handed the two Princesses short, light blue dresses with pale, cream-coloured ruffled collar and short sleeves and a large sash with a bow across the waist.

Yuujiro held it up. "Any accessories, senpai?"

"Yes, here, you'll both need these." Natasho also gave them blue choker collars with a tiny bow, blue shoes, blue barrettes, and cream-coloured gloves. "And as for the Fall and Winter Princesses, you get these!"

With a flourish, Natasho produced two ruby red dresses with slightly ruffled skirts and laced-up midsections; he also gave them black choker collars with red lace, red barrettes, long white socks, and red heels.

Upon closer inspection, Masa realized that what she took for a two-part dress was actually one piece; the black cloth behind the red laces was so well-sewn it was almost unbelievable.

"That's amazing, senpai," she said in astonishment.

"Isn't it? I wondered how well they would turn out, but I realized that the colours compliment each other wonderfully. Besides, I've been working hard on your fashion show outfits..." Natasho rambled on as two other students arrived and carted him away with apologetic glances at the boys.

"Well. Shall we get dressed?" Tooru asked, turning his dress around. "Zippers this time, with clasps."

"Ah, okay, we'll have to help each other then." Yuujiro sighed and turned to Mikoto. "Let's get Mikoto done first, since he's going to be the most painful."

"I am _not_ wearing this!" the redhead wailed. "It's short! And look at this!" He gestured to the laces. "It's so weird!"

"Hey, senpai worked hard on these. The least we can do is wear them." Masa shrugged as she trotted to the corner, keeping an eye on the three boys. Tooru and Yuujiro were stalking up on Mikoto. As she quickly shucked her clothing, she heard a yelp and then a scuffle. She had the dress on and was fumbling at the back for the zipper when she felt a hand on the bandages around her. She jumped in shock.

"Just me," Yuujiro whispered in her ear. She glared at the blonde. "Well, Natasho-senpai did a good job of covering that up, didn't he?"

Masa had to admit, the dress covered her bandages perfectly. She put her wig on, adjusting the long, straight locks before putting the bangs into the heart-shaped barrette. Quickly adding the accessories, socks, and shoes, she deemed herself ready, aside from makeup.

"Tooru? Yuujiro? You guys want any help?" she inquired, tottering around on the slight heels.

"No, we're fine. You and Mikoto go make yourselves pretty," Tooru said with a grin. He was zipped up Yuujiro's dress, then expertly tied the sash into a large bow.

"Wow, I wouldn't be able to tie it like that," Masa said admiringly.

"I have a cousin. She used to love wearing yukatas," the blue-haired boy said by way of explanation.

Yuujiro sighed as he put his hair into pigtails, using the blue 'x' barrettes to disguise the hair elastics. Tooru turned and waited patiently as Yuujiro fumbled with his sash, then the four Princesses ducked into the large washroom. It was ideal for the four of them, since it had multiple mirrors.

A quick makeup check later, and the Princesses were ready for duty. Mikoto was pouting as he was dragged out of the home ec. lab and into the hallway, protesting loudly.

"Oh, Princesses!" They were immediately beset by students, calling out to them and begging them to smile and bestow their refreshing attitudes upon the masses.

Tooru, Masa, and Yuujiro happily complied, Mikoto giving more of a grimace than an actual smile.

"By the way, Masa, what did Kaoru-kun do for lunch?" Tooru asked out of the corner of his mouth.

"He just ate some stuff he brought with him," she said with a shrug of her slender shoulders. "We don't have to cheer for the basketball team until 3:30, right?"

Akira appeared from around the corner. "That's correct, Inoue-san." The four Princesses jumped, startled by the boy's sudden appearance. "Although the Student Council President would like to walk around with you at 1." He glanced at a clipboard. "The tickets are actually for Natasho-senpai to showcase his new dresses, which is why we asked you four to model them. He gets his best inspiration from you. We're also giving you each four free passes for anyone you may want to come."

"Who would want someone they know to see them like this?" Mikoto asked, shocked.

Akira shrugged.

"Thanks for the heads-up, Sakamoto-sama," Tooru said with a smile. After the boy vanished into the throng of people, the blue-eyed boy turned to his friends.

"Shall we split up? One to each section of the school?" he inquired.

"Sure. Mikoto, you may as well go to the eastern part. I'll take the northern, and Tooru can take southern-you've been there a few times, right?" Yuujiro asked, glancing at Tooru for confirmation. When the Spring Princess nodded, he turned to Masa.

"You can stick here in the western wing, since you're familiar...for the most part, anyway...with it." Yuujiro hid a snicker behind a gloved hand as Masa thumped him.

"Fine. I need to talk to Miyagi-sensei anyway." The four split up and Masa attempted to navigate her way back to the infirmary, attempting to keep the mob of students back while keeping up her "cute and blushing Princess" facade. She was unaware that, at the moment, her brother was about to find out about the Princess system.

Kaoru was running around the track, marvelling at the size of the track, the spacious fields, the excellent equipment, even the stainless steel taps on the water station. He shook his head, black fluffy hair waving wildly as he jogged to the beat of his music. He was in shorts and a t-shirt, since he figured he'd jog around campus if Fujimori didn't have a proper track.

After the fifteenth lap, he felt eyes on him. Snapping out of the daze he went into when he ran, he looked up. The track and soccer field were slightly lower than the rest of the school, so while bleachers were nearby, there were also benches at the top of the small rise. The dark-haired boy nearly leapt out of his skin as he spotted fifteen boys staring at him. They were all in gym outfits, and Kaoru wondered if he was interrupting class. He finished the lap, then ran up the stairs, barely breathing hard.

"I'm sorry, am I preventing your class?" he asked, grabbing his towel from the bench. Most of the boys just stared at him. Kaoru judged them to be second and third years, and mentally adjusted his manners accordingly. "I'm sorry, senpais, I'll leave the track."

"No, no!" one of them said, waving a hand in dismissal. He was quite tall, with a military-style haircut that obviously needed trimming, the ends of his black hair starting to droop. A wide grin accompanied smiling brown eyes, and Kaoru had to smile back at the older boy. "We were just amazed at your stamina, is all. Sorry for staring at you like that." He glanced at the other boys, who were gawking at Kaoru.

"What are you idiots staring at? Go get the nets!" the tall boy barked. Turning back to Kaoru, he grinned sheepishly. "Sorry about them. They're just..." He trailed off. "You're not a student here, are you?"

"Ah, no." Kaoru bowed. "I'm staying with my brother."

"I'm Eiji Tanaka. Third year here at Fujimori." He extended a hand, which Kaoru shook. The dark-haired boy fairly vibrated with the force of the handshake.

"K-Kaoru Inoue."

"Oh, you're related to Masa-_hime_, then?" Eiji asked with a curious look. "I can see the resemblence."

Kaoru stared blankly at the third-year. Did he just say _-hime_? Princess?

"Oh, you're probably not familiar with the way we do things here at Fujimori..." Eiji laughed boisterously. "Well, I'll explain it in the only way I can."

At the end of the explanation, Kaoru stood, shell-shocked at what he had just heard.

"So, these Princesses are basically morale boosters for you students?" the dark-haired boy said finally.

"Yeah. Without them, we probably wouldn't be doing as well as we have been in sports." Eiji rubbed his head and grinned. "So your brother is doing a great job."

"That's Ayafuya, all right," Kaoru muttered.

"Anyway, we're just going to start soccer practice. I'm captain of the soccer club." Eiji pounded himself on the chest. "The judo club, too, actually."

Kaoru perked up. "Really? I love soccer! And judo, although I'm nowhere near as good as Aniki."

"Oh? I should have guessed that. You've obviously got the stamina for soccer. You probably play other sports too, right?" Eiji motioned Kaoru to sit on the bench beside him, occasionally barking orders as the other students set up and stretched.

"Yes, I play almost every sport over at the school I'm in," Kaoru said with a grin. "I figure if I bulk up, it'll help me grow."

Eiji let out that boisterous laugh again. "Well, you can try," the captain said, clapping Kaoru on the back and almost knocking the boy off of the bench. "How long are you here for?"

"About a week."

"Well, then. Want to help us out in practices? We could use an extra pair of hands. In return, I can help you brush up on some soccer and judo moves, if you'd like."

Kaoru jumped up, beaming. "Really? That would be great, Tanaka-senpai!" Kaoru decided to ask Masa about the whole "Princess" thing when she was done class. Right now, however, he wanted to run around. Exercise was the best way to release tension. He saw a gleam in Eiji's eyes and determined that Eiji felt the same way that he did.

"Well, let's go get warmed up," Eiji said, rising. The two jogged to the field, and Kaoru admired Eiji's ability to spot mistakes and correct them-usually loudly-while still being encouraging. While the third-year seemed harsh, Kaoru understood that only by pushing yourself past your limits could you get any better at anything. The team members grumbled, but couldn't argue; their captain did every exercise with them, and then ran around with Kaoru.

An hour later, Kaoru was thoroughly enjoying himself. He darted around and through the (now) exhausted soccer members, making as many shots on the goalie, Eiji, as possible. Kaoru was a bit peeved that he didn't score even once.

Eiji blew the whistle around his neck. "Okay men, good job! We're done...for now."

The team groaned and stumbled off, a few helping dismantle the soccer nets.

The tall senior jogged towards Kaoru. "Good job, Inoue-kun," he said with a grin. "You almost had me a few times there."

"Almost," Kaoru said with a small smile. "Thanks for letting me play with you, Tanaka-senpai."

"No problem." Eiji glanced at the retreating team's backs. "They're all fired up now."

Indeed, Kaoru heard snatches of conversation consisting of "I'm not gonna lose to a kid" and "Did you see that? Eiji-senpai almost let some of those in".

"You've got talent, but how far you go depends on the work you put in." Eiji scratched his nose as he gazed at the slim boy. "Oh, by the way. You twist your shoulders in the direction you're going to shoot, which is why I could usually tell. Well, that and the way you shift your body." He paused, thinking. "If you were to work on your footing, you could probably make that less noticable."

"I see," Kaoru said thoughtfully. Suddenly, a bell rang, startling the raven-haired boy. Eiji laughed.

"That's class bell. We have a soccer game tomorrow, so I can't help you, but Wednesday and Thursday we have soccer practice. Thursday and Friday is judo, so you can drop by the gym if you're interested." The senior turned away, hollering at his teammates.

"Thanks, senpai!" Kaoru said with a grin as he trotted to the benches, grabbing his towel. Sitting down, he pondered what his sister was doing-a girl pretending to be a guy who dressed up as a girl. It made his head hurt; the dark-haired boy vowed to get to the bottom of this.

Having decided upon a course of action, he immediately headed back to the dorm to have a shower. Kaoru felt a bit uneasy as he jogged back, but chalked it up to his less-than-reliable sense of direction.

He safely made it to the dorms, and quickly showered and changed (you never know who may walk in). He hated large baths, even at his school.

That accomplished, Kaoru wandered around campus. Glancing at his watch, he determined that school should be ending soon, and set off in search of Masa.

He noticed that whispers followed him down the hallways.

"Wow, she's cute!"

"I wonder if she has a boyfriend that goes here?"

"No way, if I meet the guy I'm gonna beat him up!"

"Is she from Kiba School?"

Kaoru's expression continually darkened as he stalked through the school. Realizing he had a small group of students following him, he whirled.

"I'M A GUY, DAMNIT!" he roared. The students looked temporarily surprised, then grinned.

"So?" they asked in unison.

Kaoru backed away, eyes widening. "Just what the hell kind of school _is_ this?" he muttered as he ran away, taking random turns and winding up utterly lost. He did, however, manage to lose his followers.

"Shit." He peered into doorways, attempting to get his bearings. "Where am I?" He groaned, tugging at his fluffly dark locks. "Damn them! There isn't even anyone here!" Glancing out the window, he couldn't even see the sun to determine which wing of the school he was in. His watch read 4:15, so he must have missed the end-of-school bell.

Hearing footsteps, Kaoru momentarily panicked and ducked into the nearest dark, empty classroom. Conversation passed by him, and he heard the sound of heels clicking, then the light switched on.

Kaoru stared for a moment. It was a girl, with long, curly red hair. She was in a ruby dress, and her large, crimson eyes widened at the sight of Kaoru. A lightbulb went off in Kaoru's head.

"M-Mikoto-san?" he asked incredulously.

Mikoto's jaw dropped as he tried vainly to escape, succeeding only in tripping and falling flat on his face.

"Are you okay?" Kaoru asked, concerned as he helped the redhead up.

"I-I'm fine." Mikoto steadfastedly refused to meet Mikoto's gaze. "What are you doing in the dark?"

"I, uh. Got lost," Kaoru said lamely. "And..." He paused, covering his face with his hands. "Damn it all, I finally understand."

"T-this isn't what you think!" Mikoto protested. "They-they make me, and..."

"Doesn't it affect your marks?" Kaoru asked with a sigh.

"Yes! I hate this!" Mikoto's lower lip trembled. "D-don't tell anyone outside of this school?"

"Why would I do that?" Kaoru asked with an understanding smile. "Don't worry, Mikoto-san."

"Did Masa explain to you about the Princess project?" Mikoto inquired as he dusted his dress off.

"No, actually. A third year, Tanaka-senpai, did." Kaoru looked at the floor thoughtfully. "So it's you four that...cheer up...the students?"

"Yes...we actually just returned from a basketball game. We won," the redhead said despondently.

"Can't argue the effects?"

"No. I wish that it wasn't true, so I wouldn't have to do this again." Mikoto went to walk to his desk and stumbled, wincing.

"Did you twist your ankle?" Kaoru said with surprise.

"Damn heels," the redhead muttered. "It's fine."

"Let me take a look." Kaoru pushed Mikoto into a chair and knelt, undoing the shoe and peeling off the sock. It was just starting to swell. "It doesn't look too bad. Just try to keep off of it, I guess. And maybe put some ice on it tonight." The raven-haired teen stood. "Here, where do you need to go? I'll help you."

"No, it's fine," Mikoto said hurriedly. Kaoru shook his head adamantly.

"You don't want to aggravate it." He stood determinedly in front of the redhead.

"...you look eerily like Masa when she's in line for supper," Mikoto said suddenly, laughing.

"W-what?" Kaoru stared in bewilderment. "Really?"

"Yeah...she's got...that same glint..." Mikoto doubled over laughing, and Kaoru glared at him, hurt.

"That's...not cool," Kaoru said finally. "Anyway. Where do you need to be?"

"The home ec room," Mikoto said when he caught his breath. "I just needed to grab my bag." He snagged the schoolbag and slung it over his shoulder, picking up the sock and shoe and depositing them inside.

Kaoru offered his shoulder, and Mikoto leaned on him. Kaoru snickered at the fact that he was slightly taller than the redhead. Mikoto, guessing at Kaoru's thoughts, glared at him.

"At least I'm taller than Masa," he said with a raised eyebrow.

Kaoru laughed. "That doesn't take much. Aniki's quite short for his age. By the way, where _am_ I?"

Mikoto stared at the dark-haired boy. "You're in the eastern wing. You and Masa should carry GPS' with you at all times."

Kaoru thumped Mikoto, who yelped. Following Mikoto's direction, the two managed to arrive more-or-less intact. Yuujiro and Tooru were outside, chatting. They stopped and stared at Mikoto, shocked.

"What happened?" Tooru asked, rapping on the door. A faint "it's okay" came through, and the blue-haired boy opened it for Mikoto and Kaoru.

"I fell," Mikoto said with a grimace. "Twisted my ankle."

"Did you go and see Miyagi-sensei?" Yuujiro demanded.

"No, I just want to change. I'll talk to him tomorrow." Mikoto stuck his tongue out at the blonde as he hobbled inside the room. "I'm going to get changed."

"Want some help?" Masa asked, setting her dress on the table and removing her wig. Kaoru stared at his sister, trying to remember the last time he'd seen her with long hair.

"Yeah, sure. Thanks, Kaoru-kun," Mikoto added sincerely.

"N-no problem. Thanks for helping me out."

"You got lost." A statement from Masa.

"S-shut up! These guys were following me..."

"Ah, the students here aren't very adept at hiding their admiration." Yuujiro sighed as he swept his long golden locks behind his shoulders. "Anyway, we'll head back first. Kaoru-kun, you coming with us, or waiting for these two?"

"I'll wait. I need to talk to Aniki, anyway."

The two nodded and headed back after berating Mikoto for his clumsiness and threatening to tell the Student Council president. Mikoto trembled and begged for them not to, and Kaoru saw a glimmer of mischief in Tooru and Yuujiro's eyes.

"Well, as long as you see Miyagi-sensei tomorrow," Yuujiro said with a bored look, "we _might_ not let the president know how _carelessly _you managed to injure yourself."

"I'll go! I'll go!" Mikoto was no doubt imagining the tortures that would be inflicted upon him if word of his accident reached the president.

"This president must be a pretty scary guy," Kaoru murmured to Masa as he helped Mikoto keep his balance as he got the dress off, with Masa's assistance.

"He's pretty _and_ scary. Very...devious." She shrugged. "He knows what he's doing, though. He's got amazing organizational skills."

Kaoru pondered what kind of person this president was as he looked at the wigs and makeup in the bathroom, Mikoto managing fine after getting out of the dress.

"The fashion show isn't for two weeks, so you should be fine," Masa was saying as Kaoru wandered back.

"Fashion show?" he asked, curious.

Mikoto blushed furiously.

"There's a senpai here who is amazing at creating clothes. He actually designs all of our dresses. Wait, did Mikoto explain the whole thing to you?" she asked, suddenly wondering why Kaoru wasn't shocked at the cross-dressing tendencies of her friends.

"No, I met the captain of the soccer and judo team on the field and he told me about it," Kaoru said with a small smile. "I'm going to be helping him for the rest of the week, if it's okay with you, Aniki."

"What's his name and year?" Masa asked, frowning.

"Eiji Tanaka, third year."

"Oh, Tanaka-senpai. I know him." Mikoto looked up from tying his shoes. "He's here on a soccer scholarship. A good guy, but...very strong."

Kaoru remembered the handshake and back pat. "True."

Masa bit her lip, then nodded. "As long as you let me know when you're going."

Kaoru rolled his dark brown eyes, and Masa's hazel ones mimicked him.

Mikoto snickered.

"Anyway! Let's get back to the dorm. I want to start on my homework." Masa turned to the redhead. "Do you want my help as well, or just Kaoru?"

"Kaoru-kun will be fine." Mikoto stood and the dark-haired boy moved and offered his shoulder again. The three slowly made their way back to the dorms. Once they had Mikoto in his room, the siblings went into Masa's room. Kaoru shut and locked the door and sat in the desk chair, facing away from his sister as she changed out of her uniform.

"So? Fashion show?" he asked with a grin.

"Ah, yeah." Masa ran a hand through her messy hair. "We're having a giant fashion show as a showcase for Natasho-senpai -the guy that designs those dresses- and us four are modelling them."

"Oh? Is this open to the public?"

"Well, I think Arisada-san said that half of the tickets were being sold outside of school. I think for the other half, he's got something planned. Sakamoto-sama mentioned sales."

Kaoru nodded. "Why are you a Princess, anyway?"

"I get fed," Masa said bluntly. "The fashion show is in two weeks. Tomorrow's the soccer game at 1:30, and then next week is the baseball and tennis games..." Masa counted off the events on her fingers. "Then we're planning a trip for science class."

"Can I come to the soccer game, Ayafuya?" Kaoru asked hopefully.

"I don't see why not." Masa paused. "We'll be dressed up, though."

"I don't care. You're a girl, anyway."

"You care when-"

"Don't even say it," Kaoru warned with a glint in his eye. "That damn old geezer is not to be mentioned in my presence."

Masa cuffed her younger brother, who yelped and jumped up, glaring daggers.

"Do you want to do this?" Masa said icily.

"Why not?" Kaoru said with a smirk. "You could use the exercise."

Masa swallowed her retort and opened her door, waving her brother through. Stopping in the hall, she poked her head in Tooru and Yuujiro's room.

"We're going outside to get some exercise. Wanna come?"

"Sure." Tooru stretched and rose from his desk, Yuujiro looking up from a book.

"What are you planning on doing?" the blonde asked curiously.

"Ah...Kaoru and I did judo back in the day. He's getting lippy." She grinned. "I'm going to take him down a peg or two."

Tooru laughed. "All right, we'll come. Yuujiro, you grabbed jump ropes from the gym storage, right?"

Yuujiro nodded and produced four ropes from his closet. Masa trotted to Mikoto's room. "We're gonna be outside of your window, okay?"

Mikoto nodded and pouted as he sat at his desk, leg set up on the other desk chair with ice on it.

"_Randori_, _tachi-waza_?" Masa inquired, and Kaoru nodded.

Kaoru and Masa quickly went at it, Tooru and Yuujiro watching interestedly as they jumped. While Kaoru was taller and more muscled, Masa was extraordinarily quick, using her small, lithe frame to her advantage. They grappled for long moments before breaking apart and eyeing each other up.

Suddenly Masa ran at Kaoru, who assumed a defensive stance. She made as if to grab his shoulder; Kaoru, expecting a shoulder throw, immediately turned to deflect it. However, Kaoru suddenly ended up on the ground, wheezing as the breath forcibly left his body.

"That was a leg reap." Masa stood over her brother to lecture him. "You weren't watching my hips. You'd have seen me shift my center of gravity down so I could sweep your legs out from under you."

Her words were interrupted as Kaoru grabbed her ankles and tugged, bringing her down as well.

"Best make sure...your opponent is properly incapacitated," Kaoru wheezed. Tooru and Yuujiro just watched in amazement as the two suddenly leapt up and began again.

Half an hour later, Masa did a spectacular throw; Kaoru soared and landed with a _whoomp_ on the grass.

"_Ippon_," Masa huffed.

Kaoru waved a hand in agreement and laid there, attempting to catch his breath. Yuujiro stared at the brunette. "That was pretty good."

"Well, I always was better at judo than Kaoru." Masa shrugged and sat down on the ground, breathing heavily. "This is great exercise for my heart, too."

"By the way, Aniki. Have you been keeping up with your meds?" Kaoru asked, having recovered sufficient oxygen to speak. He didn't sit up.

"Yeah. Miyagi-sensei knew Dad, apparently."

Kaoru twitched.

"I know," Masa said with a laugh.

Tooru watched the siblings' exchange in mild confusion, then sighed and stood. "Let's go eat, and then discuss how we're going to cope with the next three weeks."

"Agreed." Yuujiro helped Masa up, and Tooru did the same to Kaoru. They trotted inside and collected Mikoto as Masa and Kaoru did a quick change of clothes.

Kaoru was uncomfortable at supper, due to being at the head of the room, but the four Princesses chatted like it was nothing.

"So, Ayafuya, you're going to be pretty busy. If you want me to leave, just tell me." Kaoru glanced over at his sister.

"No, it's okay. Besides, having you here will help me make sure I'm more careful," Masa said with a carefree laugh.

Kaoru opened his mouth to say something, but just groaned instead. "You're so..."

"Charming?" Tooru piped up.

"Short?" Yuujiro said with a grin at Masa, who glared at the blonde and quickly stole some of Yuujiro's pie.

"...stupid," Kaoru finished, laughing as he dodged the backhand his sister sent his way. "Can I come to the fashion show?"

Mikoto's eyes widened. "What? Why?!"

"I want to see what all the fuss is about." The dark-haired boy grinned at his sister.

"We'll see," Masa said with a pointed look.

"I'll invite you if she doesn't," Yuujiro said in a stage whisper, leading to Mikoto muttering threats under his breath.

"Mikoto might be out for a while, depending on what Miyagi-sensei says." Tooru looked thoughtfully at Kaoru. "We'll have more work." He glared at the redhead, who shrank back.

"I'm sorry!" Mikoto wailed. "It's not like I _meant_ to-"

"Really?" Tooru and Yuujiro chimed in unison, shooting the Autumn Princess suspicious looks. Masa just laughed as Kaoru stared at the three boys and one girl.

"This school...is pretty damn strange," he muttered.

"True. But that's what makes it so interesting," Masa said with a small grin.

Masa felt a twinge of unease as she wondered how much extra work they'd have because of Mikoto's injured ankle, the ticket sales, and all the things they had coming up. She sighed and decided to deal with each thing as it came, but wasn't aware that many things would come to a head in the next week...


	7. Part Six: A Blossom Among Thorns

_(Author's note: Sorry about the huge hiatus! I hope to post more often =D)_

Part Six: A Blossom Among Thorns?

"You can't learn in school what the world is going to do next year." -Henry Ford

Masa waited with trepidation outside of the Student Council office. Kaoru had went in there a half an hour ago; what was going on, exactly?

The door opened, and Masa turned to see her brother staring blankly at her.

"...what just happened?" the dark-haired boy muttered.

Kaoru had startled Mikoto, leading the redhead to twisting his ankle. Yuujiro, Tooru, and Masa were unsure if they could handle the additional duties of the Princesses on their own (they had increased considerably as the number of Princesses went up).

As such, Kaoru decided that, as a man, he would try to make up for what he did.

He met with Akira, the green-eyed boy listening sympathetically to Kaoru's explanation of recent events.

"I can let you talk to the President of the Student Council," Akira said with a nod. "Maybe he can think of a way for you to help the Princesses out."

So Kaoru went to the Student Council office. Akira served him tea as he sat on the couch his sister had been on when she made her decision; he was filled with unease as he waited for the president to emerge. He had no idea what to expect.

As such, he was completely and utterly stunned when the five student council members entered. He couldn't even speak; they were all so...Kaoru didn't have words for it.

"Uh..hello." Kaoru stammered. "I...uh. Wanted to ask if there was anything I could do to help out, since I was the cause of Mikoto-san's accident."

Arisada gave Kaoru a once-over. The boy shivered under that intense gaze.

"Well...Mikoto-kun was supposed to cheer at the soccer game. Unfortunately, that isn't possible anymore." Arisada paused, eyes glinting. "Unless, of course, you're willing to take his place."

Kaoru stood up with alarm. "I-I can't! I mean...I'm not-"

"You sound like Mikoto-kun," the president said with a laugh. Kaoru's face burned. "Listen, I can understand how you feel," Arisada said sympathetically. "I was a Princess too."

Kaoru stared at him. "I can picture that," he muttered.

"We could easily have you work under a different name, if that's your concern," one of the other members said, consulting a stack of papers.

"The students will feel quite down, having the Princess of Autumn out of commission," Arisada sighed. "It could very well mean defeat for the soccer team."

"Oh, the soccer team?" Kaoru tried to picture Eiji-senpai depressed. It was impossible; Eiji-senpai was the sort of person that always seemed to be energetic. "Surely Eiji-senpai can rally the members. He's so confident."

Arisada glanced at the dark-haired boy out of the corner of his eye. "Well, then. How about you cheer at the soccer game? Surely you could manage that. The other three could probably handle the rest of the students. We'll hold off on morning meetings until then."

Kaoru paled. Eiji-senpai seeing him dressed like a girl? Impossible. "I-I couldn't possibly..." A gleam of desperate hope entered his dark brown eyes. "Besides, there can't be a costume ready in time, right?"

Suddenly a long, curly-haired boy in glasses swept into the room. "You called for me, President-san?" he announced with a beam.

Kaoru stared at him.

"This is Natasho-senpai, the man that's designed all of the Princesses' costumes so far," Arisada said with a smile that seemed to have a hint of mischief behind it. "Natasho-senpai, would it be possible for you to modify Mikoto-kun's costume to fit Kaoru-kun here?"

Natasho glided towards Kaoru, sizing him up. Kaoru shifted uncomfortably.

"Yes, yes, of course," Natasho said after a long moment. "We'll need to take it in." He whipped a pad of paper out of nowhere and began scribbling. "You look quite similar in size to Mikoto-chan...it shouldn't take very long at all."

The dark-haired boy gaped at Natasho. "Seriously? But...I'm a guy!"

"Well, no one needs to know that, right?" Arisada said with a smile. "How many of the students know you're Masa-kun's brother?"

"Not many." Kaoru did some quick math. "The other three, Sakamoto-san, and Eiji-senpai. I was chased around by guys yesterday, though."

"I see. Well, we'll simply say that you are a girl. As such, you should have no problems, correct?"

Kaoru sputtered, but couldn't come up with a response.

"_As a man_, you should properly repay the debt, correct?" Arisada said suddenly, catching Kaoru off-guard.

"I-I guess," Kaoru muttered after a moment.

"Good." The president beamed, and Kaoru almost shielded his eyes in reflex to that blinding smile. "We'll let Natasho-senpai size you up. The game isn't until tomorrow at 5 pm, so that should be ample time for the other Princesses to instruct you in the way they go about their duties."

Natasho grinned at Kaoru. "All right, let's get you sized, then I can modify Mikoto-chan's outfit."

Kaoru was dragged to a back room and measured before he'd even processed the fact that he would have to cross-dress. Natasho deemed him done and swept him outside, dashing to the home-ec room. Kaoru stumbled outside, and saw Masa.

"Ayafuya..." Kaoru said, pale. "I think I just agreed to dress up as a girl with you."

Masa stared at her brother, then burst out laughing.

"What?" Kaoru asked in shock. "I-I can't even understand what just happened!"

"He...smiled at you, didn't he?" Masa said between giggles.

"Yeah," the dark-haired boy muttered. "It's...unbelievable."

"I know." Masa coughed and then cleared her throat. "Welcome to the club, Kaoru. You're probably not going to have to accompany us around today, are you?"

"I don't think so. I was just measured by this weird guy-"

"Natasho-senpai? He's really good at what he does."

"-and then it was decided I'm cheering at the soccer game."

"Oh?" Masa glanced at her brother as they walked down the halls. "How are you going to manage that?"

"Apparently they're just going to play it like I'm a girl." Kaoru figured he was in denial of the strange events. "How the hell do you keep up with all this weird stuff?"

"It's easy once you get used to it," Masa said with a sigh. "Besides, we'll need to get you a wig."

"A wig?" Kaoru stared at his sister, dodging her attempted thump for his curse. "Why?"

"You can't be seriously thinking of going cheering with _that_ mop of hair, are you? You'd be recognized in ten seconds."

Kaoru conceded the point.

"Plus we'll have to see what makeup looks best on you..." Masa muttered to herself. The bell rang and she jumped. "Oh, no. Class is starting soon. Don't wander too long, okay? Go back to the dorms soon. Meet me at the gates after school." She waved and ran off, leaving Kaoru standing there.

He was exhausted already, and it was just the morning.

With a sigh, Masa trotted down the hall to homeroom, smiling cheerfully at the students as she passed, waving off their compliments, her mind elsewhere. She was quite startled, therefore, when Yuujiro poked her with his pencil.

"Kyaaah!" she shrieked, before clamping a hand over her mouth in shock. The teacher, who was surprised by her outburst, jumped a bit too, as did her classmates.

"Something wrong, Inoue-san?" the teacher inquired. Her classmates sighed happily.

"Masa-hime even _screams_ like a girl," they murmured. Yuujiro was laughing quietly behind his hand, and Tooru was snickering. Even Akira was grinning.

"I-um. S-sorry, Sensei," she stammered. "I-I thought I saw a-um, a mouse." She blushed furiously. "P-please continue with class."

The teacher sighed and shot looks at the class, which quieted down. As class went on, a piece of paper fell onto her lap.

_So, what's keeping you so occupied?_

She glanced at Tooru out of the corner of her eye. The blue-haired boy quirked an eyebrow.

_K-kun's going to take over Mikoto's duties at cheering the soccer team on._ Masa paused, chewing on her pen. _We'll need to show him the ropes sometime today. I wonder what we'll be wearing?_

She nonchalantly tossed the paper back to Tooru, who read it with an interested expression on his face. Yuujiro, chagrined at being left out, pouted. Time marched on, though, and soon it was lunch.

"Could Masa Inoue, Yuujiro Shihoudani, and Tooru Kouno-san please come to the Student Council room?" the intercom crackled. Masa glanced at Tooru.

"I guess we're going to find out," she said with a bemused expression.

Tooru pondered this for a moment. "I'm going to guess we're going with Natasho-senpai's classic "female-version-of-uniform" for a while. He's going to be busy getting the outfits for the fashion show ready, after all."

Masa blinked. "Ah, I forgot."

Yuujiro snickered. "Shows how busy you've been with Kaoru-kun," he teased, golden eyes sparkling mischieviously. "He's only been here for two days."

"I know," the brunette groaned. "I don't know what I'm going to do with him for another five."

"Well, Mikoto should be healed up by then. Don't worry," Tooru said with a grin, clapping the petite girl on the back, "we'll figure something out."

The three Princesses hustled to the Student Council room, mentally preparing themselves for the blinding presence that was the student council. They automatically shielded their eyes when they opened the door, greeted by Arisada's beaming smile.

It was more cat-like today. Yuujiro and Tooru instantly knew that grin was trouble. Masa stared at her fellow Princesses with confusion.

"Please, have a seat," Arisada said with a grand gesture. The first-years obediently sat, awaiting instruction.

"As you know, the fashion show is in two weeks-twelve days, to be precise. Natasho-san has decided to dedicate himself to coming up with the most fantastic creations he can. As such, your duties will be attended to in some of the previous costumes. Morning greetings and such, you'll be in the female uniforms."

Tooru nodded. Masa mentally shuffled through their previous outfits. Finally remembering, she reviewed it in her head. Fairly basic. A black, knee-length dress with a white, puffy-sleeved undershirt. A white ruffled belt cinching their waists, and black boots. Headbands with white ruffles would adorn their heads.

While she was pondering this, she belatedly realized that the President was still talking.

"I'm sorry, I was lost in thought," she murmured. Yuujiro raised an eyebrow quizzically.

"You're quite spacey today. I like it," he said with a laugh. Masa tried to smack him, but the blonde gracefully dodged it.

"I was saying, Masa-chan, that tomorrow you'll be wearing your nurse outfits for the soccer game. Natasho-san had a spare one that he altered for Kaoru-chan, so we'll be okay on that front." Arisada looked thoughtful. "We've also started the blitz for the fashion show."

"Blitz?" The three Princesses looked quite alarmed at Arisada's choice of words.

"What the President meant," Wataru said with a disapproving glance at their leader, "was that in the school, tickets are given out to the students who buy the most merchandise. 100 students per Princess, with an extra 100 to be raffled off." The treasurer gave a wolf-like grin. "We're expecting to make quite a profit off of this."

Masa did some quick mental math. "That's phenomenal," she said, awed. "The students are actually going to try to buy the most stuff?"

"Of course." Arisada smiled with satisfaction. "Every year that we've had a fashion show, we've used this process. Sales are always through the roof." He paused. "As well...actually, that can wait for another day." The President gave the Princesses an unfathomable look as he rose. "That's all for today. Do your best, and don't let us down."

"Yes, President," the three chimed. They quickly exited the room, breathing a sigh of relief to be away from all that beauty.

"I wonder what he meant by that," Tooru murmured.

Masa shrugged. "I don't care. Money equals food." She was almost drooling at the thought.

"Speaking of which, lunch is almost over," Yuujiro began, but was interrupted by the bell.

"Damn!" Masa grumbled, frowning. She fished in her pocket, coming out with some hard candy.

"You're really that hungry?" Tooru asked curiously.

Masa shook her head as she popped two red candies into her mouth. "Gotta keep my blood sugar up," she said with a grin. "Otherwise I may faint into Yuujiro-sama's arms."

The blonde snorted. "I'd have trouble catching you. You're so tiny, I'd probably misjudge the distance."

"Hey! My pride is severely wounded," Masa said with a hurt expression. The three went back to the classroom, smiling and nodding at the students, who were quite excited about the fashion show. It was the talk of the school.

"I heard they're opening up the booths tomorrow at after school," one student whispered.

"Really? Damn, I'm gonna need to try to get there early," another grumbled. "I wanna dance with Mikoto-hime."

"Tooru-hime's the one for me," a student sighed.

The three Princesses glanced askew at each other. Dance? What did _that_ mean, exactly?

When fourth period came around, the Princesses were told to attend a meeting to cheer up the soccer team before the big game.

Masa stopped Akira on her way to the home ec. room. "Sakamoto-sama, could you page Kaoru for me? He'll need to watch what we do so he's prepared to cheer."

Akira nodded sagely, his green eyes thoughtful. "I'll see to it that he arrives shortly," the green-haired boy said confidently. He trotted off in what she assumed was towards the PA room.

Masa wondered what her troublesome little brother was doing, and how he'd react to cross-dressing.

That troublesome little brother, meanwhile, had wandered back to the P-Room, using the key Masa had left with him to let himself inside. Locking the door, he wondered what exactly he was supposed to do now.

"No classes, nothing to do." He sighed, running a hand through his fluffy black hair. He stared into the mirror on the wall, scrutinizing his face.

A slim, pale face stared back at him. Wide, chocolate brown eyes peered out behind long lashes, a petite, upturned nose centered above full lips.

"Shit. I _do_ kind of look like a girl."

He tried to picture himself dressed up, but his mind refused to wander into that territory.

He _did_, however, remember Mikoto-san. As a girl.

Kaoru's face twitched. "I can't do it, Ayafuya," he muttered. "Nope. No chance." He wondered if that was how Mikoto felt-trapped by duty, unable to do anything about it.

The black-haired teen sighed as he changed into black pants and a black long-sleeved shirt with white trim. He'd packed it in case he ended up having to try to blend in to his sister's school.

He had decided to help Mikoto-san as much as he could. After all, it _was_ kind of his fault. His conscience demanded he do something for the poor boy. That being done, Kaoru trotted into the hallway. A glance at his watch showed it was 10 minutes until the bell for homeroom rang. He stopped some teachers and students as he attempted to make his way to Mikoto's classroom, ignoring the stares of both. Finding his way to the east wing, he eventually found the redhead's room through trial, error, and asking politely.

Mikoto stared at the teen in astonishment. "Kaoru-kun, erm, what are you doing here?"

Kaoru glanced at the crutches beside his desk. "What do you think I'm doing? I'm going to give you a hand when you're changing classes." A stubborn expression crossed his face. The other boys in the class sighed. Mikoto didn't get a chance to protest before Kaoru was swarmed by his interested classmates.

"Kaoru? Well, Kaoru-chan, we appreciate your helping Mikoto-hime. He refused help today, and we know when he's not going to budge." A taller, green-eyed student stepped in front of the throngs of questioning men. "Ikuto Sasamori, class president." He flipped a black bang from in front of his eye. "I try to keep these idiots under control, for the most part." He glared at the students, who obligingly went back to their desks. "Are you going to sit in with us, or just help Mikoto-hime between classes?"

"I...I'm not sure. Whatever's less trouble to you, I guess," Kaoru said with a start. He hadn't thought that far ahead.

"Well, if Sensei doesn't mind," Ikuto began as the teacher walked in, "you can probably sit in. I don't think it would put anyone out."

The teacher stared with amusement at the fluffy black-haired boy. "What's this, am I gaining another student? About time, the west wing gets all the pretty boys."

The students let out a chorus of grumbles, punctuated by a few Mikoto-themed assurances.

"Yeah, yeah, I know," the teacher said, rolling his eyes.

"Erm. K-Kaoru Inoue. Nice to meet you," Kaoru stammered, bowing. The teacher grinned.

"Nice to meet you, Inoue-kun. Masa-chan's brother, I'm going to guess?" At the nod from Kaoru, he grinned. "If you have any problems with these guys let either myself or Ikuto-kun know, all right? There's a chair in the back, if you want to pull it up beside Mikoto-chan's desk."

Kaoru nodded again, his hair waving from the motion. Mumbles about "want to touch" floated around until the teacher glared at the students who spoke. The bell then rang, and the teacher began homeroom.

"...and the sales to determine the ticketholders for the fashion show next week starts tomorrow, _after school_, so don't you even _think_ about cutting class early. We teachers have to keep some semblence of order. Any questions?"

"Yeah, Nakajo-sensei," one student said with a grin. "What are Kaoru-chan's interests?"

The brown-haired teacher slapped his face. "You guys never give up, do you?"

A resounding chorus in the negative rang through the room.

"I have no idea what they are. And I suggest waiting until after class before attempting to find out. Don't bother the poor kid on another teacher's time, okay?"

"Yes, Sensei," the class grumbled.

"All right, get your asses out of here. You've got history next, right? Kaoru-kun, Mikoto can give you directions." Nakajo glanced at the black-haired teen.

"Okay. Uh, thanks, Sensei. Um. Is this gonna be a problem in the classrooms?"

"Nah, I'll let the other teachers in Mikoto-chan's classes know. You'll be covered." He flapped a hand at the redhead. "Get going, it takes you a bit longer now, doesn't it?"

"Ah, yes. Thanks, Sensei," Mikoto said with a sigh. His protests had been completely and utterly ignored. "Kaoru-kun, you don't have to do this."

"Yeah, I do," Kaoru said determinedly. "How else are you going to carry your books?" He pointed to the stack of texts, then to Mikoto's crutches.

"Ah." Mikoto stared in silence as he attempted to determine a way for him to wrestle that to class.

"Exactly." With a satisfied snort, Kaoru grabbed the books and watched Kaoru grab the crutches, settling them under his arms. "Have you used them often?" he asked, nodding towards them.

"Yeah, this has happened a couple of times in the past." Mikoto sighed. "Miyagi-sensei keeps them on hand for me. I heal pretty quickly, though. I've taped my ankle, and have my brace on. It'll be two, three days tops before I'm good to go again." He glanced at Kaoru. "I heard about you taking my place." The redhead stared despondently at his feet. "I'm sorry, Kaoru-kun. I didn't mean to drag you into this mess."

"Hey, it's not your fault, idiot," Kaoru said with a frown. "I'm the one who injured you. It's the least I can do."

"But the soccer game tomorrow," Mikoto argued. "How are you going to manage that? I can still go, but I'll just have to sit..." He stopped midsentence as a sudden idea hit him. "I need to talk to Arisada-san sometime today," he mumbled.

Kaoru stared suspiciously at the redhead.

"Nothing, nothing," Mikoto said with an attempted grin. Kaoru sighed.

"You're _nothing_ like Ayafuya," he said, shaking his head. "Your expressions are _completely _readable."

"Readable? Is that even Japanese?" Mikoto queried. Kaoru glared at him, and he chuckled. "Don't worry, I won't start with you." He stopped when he noticed a crowd of students.

"Ah, Mikoto-hime! You look lovely, even injured," one said, grinning.

"Wait, was that a _real_ smile?"

A throng of students suddenly surrounded the wounded redhead and confused raven-haired boy. Mikoto forced a smile, trying to be heard over the din.

"Oi, back off," Kaoru barked, suddenly protective. "He's injured, remember? Don't make it worse than it already is by jostling him!" He motioned a space around the two of them.

The students obediently stepped back, opening up a space between the two to the classroom. Shaking his head in disgust, Kaoru opened the door to the history room, motioning Mikoto inside.

The redhead smiled at the teen. "Thanks, Kaoru-kun," he said with a nod; Kaoru noticed a big difference between Mikoto's actual smile, and the one he gave students. He felt a blush creep up his cheeks and ducked his head to hide it.

_What the hell?_ he wondered. _What's _with_ me today?_

And so Mikoto and Kaoru's day progressed. At lunch, Kaoru volunteered to go and grab something from a vendor-the Princess of Fall had been excused from eating in the dining room due to the lack of space for him to manoeuvre.

Bread procured, the raven-haired boy trotted outside. Mikoto was relaxing at a picnic table in a shady corner of the school, eyes closed.

Sitting across from him, Kaoru cleared his throat, and Mikoto opened a ruby eye, not startled in the least.

"You're pretty relaxed when you're not around other people, aren't you?" Kaoru noted with an interested glance. He tossed red bean bread at Mikoto, who deftly caught it.

"Really?" Mikoto mumbled through a bite. "I guess. I dunno, it's like if I'm not being a "Princess", I'm being teased by Yuujiro, Tooru, and Masa." He scrunched his face up. "I can't remember the last time I was this...you know, tranquil."

Kaoru was a bit taken aback by his choice of words, and suddenly snickered.

"What?" Mikoto asked, an injured expression crossing his face. "Don't you start to tease me, too!"

"No, no," Kaoru said, coughing. "It's just weird seeing you like this. And "tranquil"? Really?"

"I guess that was an odd choice of words," the redhead admitted, laughing. "So, Kaoru-kun, what do you do, other than bother Masa?"  
"Ayafuya pestering is a full-time occupation," Kaoru said with a mischevious grin. "But I like to swim. I love soccer and basketball, too. And I lift weights in my spare time. I guess I'm the type of guy that likes to move around." He stared despondently at his slender frame. "But I don't gain any muscle. I don't know where it goes, but definitely not anywhere I'd like it to."

Mikoto nodded wisely. "I know how you feel. No matter how hard I try I manage to retain this...girlish figure." He sighed, leaning back, bread hanging from his mouth. "Ih hike no mar how hard I ty, huhing hanhes, hight?"

Kaoru stared in bewilderment, brown eyes meeting ruby, a sudden understanding passing between the two.

"We're not fricking manly enough!" Kaoru suddenly blurted with a laugh. Mikoto joined in after finishing his bread, and their laughter rang around the schoolyard, much to the general populace's amazement.

"You swim, right, Mikoto-san?" Kaoru asked, after their giggling subsided. "Was it competitive, or just for fun?"

"Competitive," the redhead said with a sigh. "I'd love to swim here, but as a Princess...not so much."

"Oh, Fujimori has a pool?" Interest piqued, Kaoru leaned over the table. "How big is it?"

"Hmm. You know, I'm not even quite sure. I mean, we cheered the swim team on, but I never really noticed the size." Mikoto thought about it for a moment. "I was too concerned with someone recognizing me, I think." He paused and reached forward, brushing Kaoru's cheek.

The dark-haired boy jumped, startled.

"Bread crumbs," Mikoto said sheepishly.

Kaoru flushed. "I, uh. Thanks." He stared at his feet, cursing his tendency towards blushing. " should start heading back, right?"

"Yeah, I guess." Mikoto sighed. "It's nice to be able to talk about normal things for once."

Kaoru gave a strained laugh. "I guess, hey? Well, I'm around for what, five more days? Come and talk anytime."

Mikoto glanced askew at the teen. "I think I will," he said with a cheerful grin. "We'll have to talk about girls at one point. It's useless talking to the other three." He stuck his tongue out in the direction of the three Princess' classroom.

The bell rang, and Mikoto and Kaoru's day continued. When the final bell rang, Mikoto excused himself.

"Thanks again, Kaoru-kun," Mikoto said sincerely. "I appreciate your help."

"No problem, anytime." Kaoru paused. "Need anything else? You mentioned wanting to talk to Arisada-san. Actually, I should probably go, too. Ayafuya mentioned-"

"Kaoru Inoue-san, please report to the home ec. room. I repeat, could Kaoru Inoue-san report to the home ec. room?"

"And there we go," Kaoru said, hanging his head. "Well."

"Don't worry, the Student Council room's near the home ec. room. If you're like Masa at all, you'll need my help." Mikoto chuckled, remembering the brunette's attempts at traversing the school.

Kaoru nodded shamefully. "I wish I wasn't as bad as her, but...yeah. You found me, remember?"

The two arrived at the Student Council office, and Kaoru stuck his head inside and bowed as he opened the door. He trotted to the home ec. room, where his sister was waiting.

"Ah, good, you're here, Kaoru." Masa paused as she adjusted her headband. "We're going to do a school spirit cheer for the soccer team."

Kaoru blinked. This was the first time he'd seen the three as Princesses. He was a bit taken aback at their femininity; with wigs on, Yuujiro and Tooru easily passed as girls.

Noticing his look, Yuujiro twirled, the black dress floating around him. "Like what you see?" he teased.

Shaking his head, Kaoru grumbled something unintelligible. Tooru checked his makeup, dusting some rogue onto his cheeks.

"Done," the blue-haired boy said finally. "Okay, Kaoru-kun, we're going to go over a couple of things for you."

A quick explanation of the way things progressed, from greeting students to cheers was gone over. Kaoru figured he could deal with that with little difficulty. He had a decent memory, and it seemed mostly smiling.

It was the cross-dressing that he was going to have problems with.

As if sensing his unease, Masa sidled up to her brother. "Do you want to come with us as a girl, Kaoru? Just so you can get used to it? Natasho-senpai had a spare of these, as well as what we're wearing tomorrow." She tugged at the dress.

Kaoru paused, considering it.

"I...I guess." The words came out through clenched teeth.

Masa squealed. "Goodie! Okay. Yuujiro, you're on makeup. Tooru, help me get him into this..."

In a whirlwind of activity, it wasn't long before the fluffy-haired teenager was matching his sister and her friends, in clothing at least. Yuujiro sat Kaoru at the mirror and stared intently at his skin.

"God, the two of you are so lucky. You have fantastic complexions," the blonde grumbled, sweeping a lock of hair out of his eyes. A quick brush of beige eyeshadow brought out Kaoru's eyes. Applying mascara was difficult for the golden-eyed blonde, as Kaoru kept flinching. "Hold still," Yuujiro admonished.

"I'm trying," Kaoru grumbled. "How can you do this without poking your eyes out?"

"You get used to it," Tooru said with a grin. "Masa, do we have a wig for Kaoru-kun?"

"Yeah, Natasho-senpai dropped it off yesterday." Masa rooted through a pile of dresses on a table. With a victorious cry, she produced a box, pulling out a long, black, curly wig.

"We'll tame the fluff first, then plaster this on," the brunette said, eyeing her brother's mane of hair. "I'll do it."

Kaoru stared at his sister suspiciously. "Good luck, Ayafuya," he said finally. Masa just grinned evilly and pounced.

Five minutes later, Kaoru's hair was sticking to his head and the wig was placed atop it. The headband was adjusted, and Kaoru was deemed passable as a girl.

"Hell, I'd say _more_ than passable," Tooru said admiringly. "What is with you two, anyway? You must have one heck of a family."

Kaoru rolled his eyes. "I'd rather not talk about it," he said with a sigh. "Let's get this over with."

"Okay. Uh, Kaoru, you might want, like, a stage name, I guess. It'd be a pain for people to know who you _really_ are, right?"

Kaoru nodded. "I'd rather not be hounded while I'm here, thanks anyway."

"Yeah, we discussed that with Arisada-san. He figured you could be Rin-chan."

"That's...random."

"His train of thought was probably Kaoru, Kaorin, Rin," Tooru said thoughtfully. "Does that work for you, Kaoru-kun?"

"Yeah, I guess," the boy sighed.

The three Princesses and Kaoru headed towards the gymnasium, where the soccer team waited with bated breath...


	8. Part Seven: The Ballet of the Masses

_(Author's notes: Taiyo=Sun, Kiken-sei=dangers, Oji-sama=Prince, Tsukkomi and Boke: A comedy routine; the tsukkomi is the straight man and bops the boke, and Ecchi=perverted. Surely most of you knew _that _one already, right...? _)_

Part Seven: The Ballet of the Masses

"Soccer is all very well as a game for rough girls, but is hardly suitable for delicate boys."

Upon entering the gymnasium, Kaoru was startled to see his sister and the two boys instantly surrounded by the soccer members. Cries of "_Himes_! We're so glad you're here!" and "How is Mikoto-_hime_? Will he be able to cheer us on tomorrow?" rang throughout the space.

Kaoru glanced around. There were about 20 men in the room. He spotted a familiar face, and was about to wave before he remembered he was "Rin" right now. The raven-haired boy sighed.

"Ayafuya, how do you manage to keep all of this straight?" he whispered.

Masa grinned. "You're not even going to get a chance to get used to it, are you?" she murmured. "Well, we somehow know when we're expected to be the _Himes_, and when we're expected to be students. It's a subtle dance. You're just a newbie is all."

Kaoru stuck his tongue out at his sister. "I'm glad of the fact that I'm not going to be here long enough to get used to _this_," he said frankly, waving towards the soccer members. The sea of people suddenly parted. A red-haired boy with long bangs and a mischievious air about him suddenly leapt onto a crate.

"Where the hell did that come from?" Kaoru said in disbelief, eyeing the crate.

Masa sighed and shrugged. "Honestly, I don't know. It certainly seems out of place."

The redhead suddenly cleared his throat, and the team put the Princesses and Kaoru into the center of a circle of people. Kaoru was suddenly very, very nervous.

"Welcome, welcome, to the rally to heighten the spirits of the Fujimori soccer team! We appreciate your time coming here to brighten our day, _Himes_! Oh, what's this? A new _Hime_?" The redhead clutched his heart in mock shock. "She will never replace the Princess of Fall!"

"She's Rin-chan. She's going to take Mikoto's place tomorrow," Masa explained, patiently waiting for the chatter to die down before continuing. She elbowed Kaoru.

"I-I'm inexperienced, but please take care of me," the raven-haired boy said, bowing to hide his blush. He was mortified.

"Ah! Well then, Ricchi, it's nice to meet you!" This statement was followed by a chorus of greetings. "Anyway, I'll start the introductions! I'm your announcer for the short time we're together, and "Fujimori's _Taiyo_", the sweeper Katsumi Fujiwari!" He bowed low to the Princesses and Kaoru, his red hair flipping into his eyes as he rose.

"Next we have Fumio the stopper, the planner of exercises, the keeper of knowledge, and twin to a forward! Miocchi!

"The three greatest warriors are next! Bow down to the might of Fujimori's _Kiken-sei!_ Icchi, Nicchi, and Sanchi!" Katsumi announced. "Iwao, the backbone of our forwards! Nori, the twin who finds out where we've gone horribly, horribly wrong! And Mitsuru, the energetic first-year whose spastic nature keeps us all on our toes!"

A tall, solid-looking man ducked his head with a small smile. Two identical twins waved, and a short boy laughed and jumped around.

"We've also got our four-leaf clover, the amazingly lucky Hirocchi as a midfielder, but unfortunately he can't compare with the_ Oji-sama _of Fujimori, the insufferable playboy, Akihiko!"

A black-haired boy looked startled and slightly angry as a blonde student gave a huge grin to the Princesses and Kaoru.

"What he said was entirely true," Akihiko said with a winsome smile, blue eyes sparkling. "Insufferable yet insanely popular. Poor Hiro can't compare to me." He swept his hair back, striking a pose.

"The fullbacks, the backbone of our team, includes the one that hopes to take Oji-sama's crown: the mighty Takeo! Keicchi tries and tries, but can't quite compare to the majesty that is Akicchi." Katsumi giggled at Takeo's expression, one of outrage yet amusement. "We've also got Tsutomu, the _tsukkomi_ to our _boke_, the serious first year! He's the one who ensures we actually get some work done!" Katsumi clapped for a stern-looking boy. "Muucchi is by far the best of the bunch!"

Yuujiro gave Masa an odd look. "Did you notice he adds -cchi to the end of everyone's names?"

The brunette nodded. She glanced over at Kaoru. "Did you meet him when you were on the field before?"

Kaoru shook his head vehemently. "I remember seeing the other guys, but not him. It'd be hard to miss him, I think." He bit his lip. "Do you have to do this _all_ of the time, Ayafuya?" he said in an undertone. His sister shrugged.

"Not as often as you'd think. Only for the nationals. And even then, we usually gather all of them in the gym and give some sort of generic cheer." She frowned. "I wonder why we deviated?"

Tooru pondered this. "Maybe to get K-I mean, Rin-chan used to what we do?"

Yuujiro nodded. "Makes sense, I guess. If we did what we usually do, the poor kid would be overwhelmed.

Kaoru stared at the blonde Princess. "Well, I don't really understand what's going on."

"Don't worry, Rin-chan," Masa said with a devious smile. "Just remember the cheer and you'll be fine. The team's already adjusted to your sudden appearance."

Meanwhile, Eiji sighed, putting his head in his hands. "I _knew_ we shouldn't have left him in charge of the introductions."

Tsutomu facepalmed. "Senpai, shouldn't you stop him?" he asked dourly.

"It would be criminal to stop him now," the tall third-year said with a grin.

"And lastly, the team Captain and the goalkeeper, known as the_ Kabe_! It's _Ecchi! _As for the rest of the people here"-with a wave, Katsumi motioned towards the other 9 people-"they're not important enough to be introduced! Although our advisor, Nakajo-sensei, was kind enough to let them be here..."

With that, the redhead mightily leapt from the crate, overturning it as he dashed towards the rear exit of the gymnasium; Eiji and the other 9 members were in hot pursuit.

"Uh, are they coming back...?" Kaoru queried.

The tall man, Iwao, nodded. "This always happens with Katsumi. Eiji can't catch him, though. Katsumi's not our sweeper for nothing. He always has an escape route."

The other members nodded sagely, then chatted with the Princesses. Kaoru watched with interest, curious as to what they talked about during their duties.

"So, Tooru-_hime_," Hiro, a second-year with a friendly air about him, grinned. "How has Mikoto-_hime_ been? I heard he's been quite tempermental lately. Even more than usual."

The other boys chuckled. Tooru smiled wryly.

"We've somehow managed to keep him down," the blue-haired boy sighed. "Though he's happy he's not doing duties right now"-this was followed by Yuujiro and Masa rolling their eyes-"he _does_ feel guilty about poor Rin-chan taking his place." Tooru gestured towards Kaoru. "Come on, Rin-chan, they're not going to bite."

Kaoru sidled closer to his sister. "What do I say?" he whispered urgently.

"Well, it really depends," Masa murmured.

Takeo glanced at Kaoru. "So, Rin-chan, what brought you here to Fujimori?" he inquired, brown eyes full of curiousity.

"I, uh, I'm Masa's...cousin," Kaoru said finally. Takeo blinked in surprise.

"Masa-_hime_, why didn't you tell us you had such a cute cousin?" Hiro said with a laugh, elbowing the brunette. Kaoru flushed-whether with embarrassment or slight pride, Masa wasn't sure.

Tilting her head coquettishly, Masa beamed at the main string. "How about you guys explain soccer to me? I've watched it, but don't know the rules at all. I'd love to try it."

This was met with laughter as the soccer team took in her slender frame. Akihiko smiled at the brunette.

"Masa-_hime_, I'd love to show you the _finer_ points of soccer sometime. If you'd like to give me your..."

The boy was frozen by a look from Masa. She shook her head slightly, and he seemed to take the hint, backing down with a quick laugh.

"Masa-_hime'_s not known as the Princess of Winter for nothing," Akihiko said with a wry smile. The other members clapped him on the back in mocking sympathy.

"One day, Akicchi, you'll win him over," a voice said from above. Startled, everyone looked up; there, sitting on a rafter suspended in the ceiling, was Katsumi. He grinned.

"Um, Katsumi-san, you make want to come down," Tooru called, wide-eyed at the senior's height. "I think Eiji-san will be quite upset if you injure yourself before tomorrow."

The redhead cocked an eyebrow. "Could you do something for me if I do come down?"

Yuujiro considered this for a moment. "As long as it doesn't involve undressing, probably," the blonde said cautiously. Masa nodded in agreement, Kaoru confusedly nodding his assent as well. Tooru shrugged, his expression saying "none of our business".

"Could you wear your nurse's outfits tomorrow?" Katsumi said brightly, green eyes dancing. "Those are, by far, my favourite. Besides, _these_ idiots"-he gestured to the seven main string members, and the rest of the team coming back inside-"wanted to ask, but didn't know how."

Yuujiro gave his bright smile. "Of _course_, Katsumi-senpai," he simpered. "All you had to do was ask. We'll get Natasho-senpai to alter the costume for our little Rin-chan here." He put his arm around Kaoru's waist and drew the black-haired boy close to him. "We've been teaching him _all_ about what we do," the blonde Princess said with a wicked grin.

Half of the people in the gym blushed, Kaoru included. His expression was one of shock and horror.

"Yuujiro-san, I"-Kaoru began, but was abruptly tugged in another direction. Tooru was pulling on his arm.

"No fair, Yuujiro," the blue-haired boy pouted. "I want to hug him, too."

Masa glomped her brother from behind. "Too bad for all of you, he's mine," the brunette said with a gleeful giggle.

The members of the team stared in bemused astonishment as a squabble broke out over Kaoru, who stood there in startled silence. Finally finding his voice, he flung his hands up and broke away from his hangers-on.

"Let's just do our job!" he roared. "We have things to do, don't we?"

Masa, Yuujiro, and Tooru nodded with hang-dog expressions on their faces. The soccer team sighed happily.

"Oi, Katsumi, get your ass down here before I decide to cut you from first string," Nakajo-sensei said irritably. Like a monkey, the senior was quickly down on the ground again, dodging Eiji's attempts at smacking him.

Coughing, Yuujiro nudged Masa and Tooru.

"Ah, right," the two said in unison.

"Let's begin the cheer, okay?" Tooru said with a glance at Kaoru, who nodded. The soccer team moved in to a circle around the three boys and lone girl, and the Princesses and Kaoru went through the routine. It was fairly simple, with a rhyming chant and some basic dance moves, but the team watched entranced regardless.

With a final "Fujimori Falcons, fight fight fight!", the four finished with a flourish. The team stared awestruck, then began clapping and cheering wildly.

"That was awesome! We're so lucky!"

"_Himes_, we'll destroy the Tigers tomorrow!"

"You're so beautiful!"

The team made determined faces. "We'll win tomorrow, or die!" yelled Mitsuru, pumping his fist in the air, which was met with cries of "_Osu!_"

Eiji jumped on top of the crate which, for some unknown reason, had yet to be removed from the gym. Masa grabbed Yuujiro and stood on the captain's left, while Tooru dragged Kaoru over to the senior's right. They stood attentively.

After a few moments in which the din had still not died down, Masa tugged Eiji down and stood atop the crate herself.

"Will you all please quiet down? I think Eiji-san has something to say," she said loudly, the frost in her tone silencing the cheering. She stepped from the crate and stumbled. "Kyah!" she cried, losing her balance. Eiji quickly caught her before she fell, and the brunette blushed.

"Um, thanks, Eiji-san," she said with an embarrassed grin. "You can let go now."

"Oh." The captain obediently released her hand, then jumped back up on the crate. "Thanks, Masa-_hime_." He cleared his throat, then glared at the assembled students. They apparently knew what was going on, for they had formed three lines of six. Nakajo-sensei watched from the side,a grin crossing his face.

"All right, you idiots," the large senior boomed. The Princesses and Kaoru jumped, startled by his loud voice. "We've worked our asses off to get here. We've trained in wind, storms, and everything else the weather could throw at us. We've played in mud, on gravel, and on the pitch. And you know why? Because we're the _best god-damned team out there!_"

This was met with a rousing cry.

"We love soccer! It's why we play the game! Anything is possible, anything can happen, and we'll prove it again tomorrow! We'll show those Taketa Tigers that they can't compare to the Fujimori Falcons!"

The noise level rose to near-deafening.

"It's our last year, so make your senpais proud, damnit!" Eiji finished with a bellow. The team shouted themselves hoarse.

"And with that, we thank the _Himes_ and Ricchi for coming and giving us spirit for tomorrow. We'll be looking forward to your nurse outfits," Katsumi said with a smile, motioning for them to leave before the soccer team realized they were gone. The four sneaked out of the back while the members were pounding each other on the back and pumping themselves up.

Outside of the gym, Kaoru slumped against the wall. "That was...exhausting," he said with a more respectful look at his sister. "I'm impressed, Ayafuya. You have to do that sort of thing all of the time?"

"Well, not usually that complicated, but yeah." Masa sighed and smoothed her wig.

Yuujiro gave a suspicious glance towards the brunette. "Did you actually fall?"

Tooru also raised an eyebrow. Masa just giggled.

"Well, the clumsy part softens the icy part, right?" she said, batting her eyelashes at the two Princesses. "I need to keep myself more popular than you two. Otherwise no one will want to see me," she said with a pout. Yuujiro snickered, while Tooru sighed and shook his head.

"Your devious nature knows no bounds," the blue-haired boy said, motioning Kaoru over. "Just for that, I'm gonna take Rin-chan and run away!"

Kaoru twitched at that statement. "Um, Tooru-san, you aren't serious, are you...?" he said slowly. Tooru grinned at the teen.  
"No, actually, I had some stuff I wanted to talk to you about...away from these idiots," he murmured, sticking his tongue out at Masa and Yuujiro.

"Hey! I resent that remark!" Yuujiro said with a fierce glare. "I beat you on our last three tests!"

"Pure luck, Yuujiro, luuuuuck," the blue-haired boy said with a dismissive wave, drawing out the last syllables. "Anyway. Rin-chan, let's go talk outside."

Kaoru was tugged down the hall by Tooru, despite his attempts to get away. Yuujiro and Masa watched bewilderedly.

"What is he planning?" Yuujiro mumbled softly. "It's not like him."

Masa yawned. "I dunno."

"How un-ladylike," the blonde said, poking Masa in the ribs. She yelped and smacked him.

"How dare you!" she said in mock rage. "Touching the shrine that is Masa-sama's body!"

Yuujiro just laughed at the brunette, flipping his long hair over his shoulder. As his snickers subsided, an odd expression crossed his face.

"...what?" Masa asked, slightly alarmed.

"With all the stuff that's been happening lately, I forgot that you're...you know," the blonde said, turning his head away from Masa. His hair hid his face. "A girl," he mumbled. He paused. "How have you managed for this long, anyway?"

Masa exhaled loudly. "Well, we should head back before we discuss this sort of thing," she said, tugging on Yuujiro's arm. The blonde obediently followed her, hiding his flushed face. The two walked in silence back to the home ec room, their thoughts in two entirely different directions.

Once inside, Masa closed and locked the door before proceeding to strip out of her outfit. Yuujiro made a strangled noise and whirled around, trying not to look at the brunette.

"What are you suddenly shy for?" Masa demanded, looking over her shoulder. "You're never like this when the others are in here."

"I know," Yuujiro grumbled. "It's just...I dunno. You're a _girl_, damnit. I just don't understand how you've managed to keep that concealed for this long. You're such an airhead sometimes."

A shoe went flying, smacking Yuujiro in the back of the head. He yelped and crouched, rubbing it. "That was uncalled for!" he bellowed. He tossed the shoe back over his shoulder without looking, but apparently missed. Masa chuckled.

"That's for calling me an airhead," she said with a dark glare towards Yuujiro. She adjusted her bandages, ensuring they covered her properly, then slipped into the white shirt of her uniform. Yuujiro, assuming she was done, turned to talk to her. He stopped, then sighed.

"Oh, these?" Masa said with an innocent glance, gesturing towards her lower body. She was wearing a pair of boxers. "Obviously I can't pull off the tighty-whitey thing many guys go for." She shrugged. "Besides, I have a pair of shorts on underneath, anyway." She pulled her pants on, then put on the outer jacket, slowly zipping it up.

"You've put a lot of thought into most of this, haven't you?" Yuujiro said, rubbing his face tiredly. "Makes me wonder why I even bother worrying."

"Worry? You? Really?" Masa asked, genuinely interested. "Whatever for?"  
"I don't know. You're like a lost puppy some days," the blonde said with a wicked grin. Masa rolled her eyes as she peeled her wig off, carefully placing it onto a mannequin head. She then raked her fingers through her hair as she sat in front of a vanity mirror.

"I don't recall ever asking for you to worry about me," she said finally, raising an eyebrow. Yuujiro was putting his pants on, leading Masa to stare at his back.

"It's oddly broad," she mumbled. Yuujiro glanced at the brunette out of the corner of his eye.

"Admiring my physique, are we?" he said with a grin. He quickly put his shirt and jacket on, then sat beside her. The two of them went about the task of removing their makeup with efficiency in silence.

Eventually, Masa exhaled loudly. "I'm hungry," she said frankly.

"We should probably go back to class."

"But I'm hungry _now_," she whined, with a sad look at Yuujiro. The blonde stared at her for a moment before he started laughing. "You've been doing that a lot lately," Masa said with a pout. "Am I really that funny?"  
"No, it's just...you're not like anyone I know." Yuujiro wiped away tears. "Come on, let's go get something to eat."

"Should we wait for Tooru and Kaoru?" Masa wondered. Yuujiro shook his head.

"Nah, he might be a while. I don't know where they went or what they're doing. Don't worry," the blonde reassured her, "he'll make sure Kaoru gets back to the P-Room okay."

Masa nodded after a moment. "All right, I'm trusting you." She looked at the clock. "Man, it's only 3pm. Feels like it's been _forever_."

Yuujiro grinned. "Time flies when you're a Princess, doesn't it?"

Masa thumped him on his shoulder, and Yuujiro snorted in derision. "That didn't hurt," he said, nose in the air.

"I didn't expect it to," Masa grumbled gloomily. "That's the reason I took up judo. I was pretty sick when I was younger, so I didn't really get to run around like the rest of the kids." The brunette sighed. "Ah, youth."

Yuujiro pondered this. "By the way. I think we should start doing some exercises to stay in shape." He glanced at his profile in a body-length mirror. "If we get fat, I don't know what we're going to do."

Masa snorted. "Maybe _you_ do," she retorted. "I have an awesome metabolism."

It was Yuujiro's turn to smack Masa, albeit very lightly. She snickered and skipped to the door.

"After you, Yuujiro-chan," she said with a low bow, opening the door and motioning the blonde outside.

"Why thank you, Sebastian," the blonde said in a holier-than-thou voice. "Remember to walk three steps behind me at all times."

"Of course." Masa actually did this for the first stretch of hall, dutifully keeping pace with the long-legged boy. Yuujiro eventually grew tired of this, though, and waved her beside him.

"Makes me nervous," he muttered. "I don't know what you're plotting when you're behind me."  
"Me? Plotting? Whyever would you think that?" Masa inquired with an angelic smile.

Yuujiro shivered. "You look a lot like Tooru when you do that..."

Meanwhile, Tooru had guided Kaoru to a deserted section of hallway. There were benches beside a drinking fountain, and the blue-haired boy motioned Kaoru to sit beside him.

"So, Kaoru-kun," Tooru said, blue eyes serious. "Do you understand what it is that we do?"

Kaoru paused. "I think so, Tooru-san. Why?"

"We take our jobs very seriously. And keep in mind that is all it is-_a job_. We don't do this normally, and we don't enjoy it to the extent that we appear to."

The raven-haired boy was a bit taken aback. "I...I never thought otherwise," he stammered. "I was just a bit confused, is all. Then again, Kisaru is a co-ed school," Kaoru mumbled. "I guess I took it for granted."

Tooru gave him an unfathomable stare for a long moment before beaming. Kaoru reflexively shielded his eyes. "Good. Just wanted to make sure you knew that." He gave the teen a shrewd look. "So. What high school are you aiming for?"

"Well, I applied to some of the ones around Nagasaki prefecture, but I'll be out of the dorms at the end of the school year." Kaoru's face clouded. "I don't really know what I'm going to do after that."

Tooru nodded. "What about your parents?"

Kaoru jumped in shock. "I. Uh. My mom...passed away. When I was younger. And my dad..." The teen's face furrowed. "I'd rather not talk about it, honestly."

"I'm sorry," Tooru said in consternation. "I didn't mean to upset you."

"Nah, it's okay, Tooru-san," Kaoru said, waving it off. "It's not that big a deal." He sighed. "I'll think about that later, I guess. I'd best focus on my duties here, for tomorrow."  
"Ah, don't worry, it'll be okay," the blue-haired boy said, ruffling Kaoru's wig. "We just say things like 'do your best' and 'we're cheering for you' and they do all the rest."

"Don't people wonder why there are girls cheering for Fujimori?" Kaoru asked curiously.

"Not really. People think we're just fans of whatever team we happen to be cheering." Tooru shrugged. "Most people are hard-pressed to believe we're guys."

Kaoru nodded. "I can see how some girls would get upset that you're so...beautiful," he said finally, looking the blue-haired boy over with a critical eye.

"_We're_ so beautiful," Tooru reminded him, grabbing Kaoru's chin and tilting the boy's head towards the light. "You're just as pretty as we are." He grinned at the teen, who sighed.

"I totally understand how Mikoto-san feels now," he grumbled.

"You sound a lot like Mikoto," Tooru shot back. Kaoru was about to retort when he inadvertently remembered Mikoto, dressed as a Princess.

He put his head in his hands.

Tooru watched this with amusement. "Not used to it yet, are you? Don't worry. You'll be a Princess-in-training by the time we're done with you." He gave Kaoru a predatory grin, which the raven-haired boy missed.

"I hope not," he mumbled. "I've had almost all I can take of this stuff. By the way," he added, peering at Tooru from beneath his hands. "I noticed you all pitch your voices higher when you're Princesses."

"Really?" Tooru asked, curious. "I've never noticed."

"Even Ayafuya does it," Kaoru said with a wry smile. "I guess it's an unconscious reaction to your outer appearance, maybe?"

"I have no idea." Tooru shrugged, then rose, dusting off his dress. "Anyway, Rin-chan, let's go back to the home ec. room and change, then we can talk later. I'll show you to the P-Room. Gods forbid you get lost."

"I'd do Ayafuya proud," Kaoru said morosely. "That's the _last_ thing I need. I can hear her laughing now."

Tooru snickered, and the two trotted towards the home ec. room. On the way they discussed a wide variety of things, ranging from snacks to movies to soup.

Once in the home ec room, Kaoru sighed gustily. "I can finally get out of this now, right? It's _hot_ in this wig." He fanned himself wearily.

Tooru just laughed. "I don't find it that bad anymore," he said with a grin, blue eyes sparkling. "Come on, I'll help you out of your dress."

A few moments later and Kaoru was back in his casual clothes, which today was black jeans and a navy blue t-shirt. He slipped into his black hoodie and rummaged through the pockets, eventually finding his cell phone.

Kaoru grimaced at the name attached to the "Missed Call" and quickly deleted it while Tooru changed. Kaoru placed the curly wig gently onto the mannequin, then wondered belatedly what to do about his makeup.

Tooru, sensing the teen's confusion, sat him down. "Here, I'll take that off for you," he said in a teasing tone. "We don't want Rin-chan's face on Kaoru's body, after all."

Kaoru's brown eyes narrowed as he glared at Tooru. "I believe it would surprise the students, that's for sure," he muttered. Tooru expertly removed the fluffy-haired boy's makeup in record time, then sat and did his own while Kaoru washed his face.

"Now what, Tooru-san?" he asked, leaning against a table.

"Well, I probably need to go back to class, but I'll take you to the P-Room first." Tooru rubbed his hands over his face tiredly. "Come on, let's go. The bell is gonna ring soon."

The two walked back to the P-Room in silence, thoughts far away. Once they were in the hall, Tooru saluted Kaoru.

"I'll probably see you later," he said with a grin, then jogged back to the classroom as the bell rang. Kaoru waved, then went into Masa's room, peering at the photo on the dresser.

"I wonder what Mom would think if she knew," he said with a sigh. "Ayafuya looks just like her." He sat at the desk, putting his head on his arms. "This is such a weird place," Kaoru murmured. "Guys that dress as girls, and a girl dressed as a guy that dresses like a girl." He frowned as he tried to process that statement. "I just don't get it."

The events of the day had worn him out, though, and soon the teen was fast asleep.

While Kaoru had a nap, Masa and Yuujiro were on their way to the campus confectionary. Masa whistled as she skipped down the hall, but Yuujiro kept his head down, deep in thought.

Masa suddenly whirled to face the blonde, hazel eyes suspicious. "What are you thinking so hard about?"

Yuujiro's golden eyes met hers. "I was just thinking. The fashion show. We're not really going to have time to change properly, will we? Will you be able to manage quick changes?"

Masa blinked as this thought floated through her head. "I...dunno," she said finally, expression turning serious. "I may need to think of something new." She chewed her lip thoughtfully. "Don't worry, Yuujiro," she said with a cheery grin. "I'll find some way to get through it!" She pumped her fist into the air enthusiastically, doing a little pose.

Yuujiro stared at her in bewilderment. "You're amazingly optomistic," he muttered. Masa grinned.

"Of course," she said, putting her nose in the air. "It's one of my many strong points." She turned a corner, finally confident in where she was going.

Yuujiro snickered. "Wrong way, idiot."

Masa laughed falteringly, a blush spreading across her face as she glanced over her shoulder at the blonde. "I knew that," the brunette grumbled. She turned, and ran into something quite solid.

With a _whomp_, she hit the ground. Blinking and shaking her head, she glanced up at what had stopped her. A short, curly-haired boy was groaning and picking himself up off of the ground. His heart-shaped face furrowed as he opened his mouth to remonstrate Masa, but stopped short. Blue eyes widened in astonishment.

"Masa-_hime_! I'm sorry!" he said, quickly helping the fallen girl up. Masa was astonished to see that he was actually a bit shorter than her own 5'2", but he was solid enough to knock her down.

"Ah, Ito-san," Masa said, dusting herself off. "Thanks. The soccer team finished up, then?"

The small forward nodded enthusiastically. "Your spirit infected us," he said with a cheery grin, which faded to concern. "Are you okay, though? Seems like you fell kind of hard."

Masa smiled wryly. "I'm used to that sort of thing by now," she sighed, ignoring Yuujiro's puzzled look. "So, are you nervous for tomorrow?"

Mitsuru scrunched his face up. "Not really, _Hime_," he said with a shrug. "I'm used to it by now. Besides, we're going to win for Eiji-senpai, Iwao-senpai, and Katsumi-senpai!" His eyes flared with determination, and the two Princesses couldn't help but chuckle at his firey spirit.

"Atta boy," Yuujiro said, patting the shorter boy on the head. "Do your best, okay? We'll be rooting for you."

Mitsuru slumped. "Everyone treats me like I'm five," he grumbled. "I'm just as old as you two, you know?"

Masa laughed. "I know, Ito-san," she said, shaking her head. "Just because we're short, people think we're short on brains, too."  
The soccer member's eyes lit up. "I know, right, Masa-_hime_? I just happen to have an excess of energy, is all." The bell rang, startling the curly-haired boy. "Crap! Gotta run, _Himes_! Thanks for your support!" He dashed down the hall, leaving the two Princesses staring after him.

He suddenly peered around the corner. "By the way, Masa-_hime_, if you ever want to hang out sometime, I'm in class 1-D. We should train together!" With that, he was gone.

Masa stood there wonderingly. "It's hard to realize he didn't mean that as a date," she said with a shell-shocked expression on her face.

Yuujiro suddenly doubled over, laughing. "Unfortunately, we should get to class," the blonde said when he'd recovered.

"I guess," Masa said dolefully. Her stomach growled, and she sorrowfully popped a candy into her mouth as they headed back to class, meeting Tooru on the way.

The blue-haired boy tilted his head at seeing his friends. "Dawdle much, you two?"

Yuujiro poked him in the ribs. "You're one to talk. What did you and Kaoru-kun talk about, anyway?" he asked, wiggling his eyebrows. Tooru cuffed the blonde, while Masa had a horrified expression on her face.

"Tooru! You _didn't_!" She turned away, sobbing. "I thought _I_ was the only one in your life!"

Tooru started to speak, then sighed and rubbed his face with his hands. "I just talked to the poor kid, that's all," he mumbled. "I don't feel like getting into this today."

Masa reverted to normal, shrugging. "Fine by me. I don't feel like putting up with much today, either." The three Princesses went back to class, the day passing by in a haze of classes and duties. Kaoru met Mikoto at his classroom and gave the redhead a hand with his bag on their way back to the dorm, despite Mikoto's vehement protests. Once inside the P-Room, they collapsed in a heap.

"Today felt like it was _forever_," Masa groaned. She laid on her back on the carpet, limbs akimbo. "I really think it's because you're here, Kaoru."

Kaoru raised an eyebrow at his sister. "Whatever you say, Ayafuya," he muttered, rolling his eyes. "I'm only here til Saturday, you know."

"Yeah, yeah. Stop calling me that, I'm not that ambiguous." Masa rolled onto her stomach. "Tooru," she called, voice muffled by the carpet, "go get me something to eat, please!"

"No way," the blue-eyed boy replied instantly, poking his head out from his room. "We've got to go eat together."

Yuujiro's voice floated out. "Don't forget to study, you two," he called. "We've got that test in history in two days."

"Agh, you had to remind me," Masa groaned. She heaved herself up, rubbing stiff muscles. "I'm starting to get out of shape." The brunette poked and prodded herself with a frown, not liking what she was feeling. "Okay, study until 6, then head to the dining hall?"

"Works for us." Tooru waved in acknowledgement, then shut the door.

Masa rapped on Mikoto's door. "Mikoto, didja hear that?"

"Yep." The redhead opened it and peered at the siblings. "I can manage without crutches now, I think. I'll join you."

Kaoru grumbled something unintelligible. "You're following Miyagi-sensei's orders, damn it," he said after a moment. Mikoto glared at the fluffy-haired teen.

"Oh ho," Masa said with an evil smirk. "I sense some spirit in Mikoto! Damn you, Kaoru, what did you do to him?"

Yuujiro sprang into the hall, curiousity written all over his face. "Oh, is Miko-chan gonna join us finally? Not too good for us anymore now, are you?"

Mikoto tried to keep his face aloof, but failed miserably. It turned into the familiar pout/crying expression the three other Princesses were quite used to.

"Yuujiro!" the redhead wailed. "I hate you! You know that's not what I think!"

"Oh, really?" Yuujiro said, arching an eyebrow. "You hate being a Princess, so don't you hate _us_ for _being_ Princesses?"

"You idiot!" Mikoto slammed the door, and they could picture him sulking.

Yuujiro smiled like a cat that caught the canary. "I missed doing that," he said with satisfaction, then retreated into his own room.

Kaoru sighed, and Masa glanced at her brother. "_Aniki_," the black-haired boy said quietly, "I'll talk to him later. He's not that bad of a person, you know."

Masa grinned. "I know. He's just so much fun to tease. Brings out the sadist in all of us."

Kaoru just groaned as the two went into Masa's room; Kaoru listened to his music and read his textbooks on the floor while his sister studied at her desk.

"So you _do_ study," Masa mulled, twirling her pen. "I thought you were just goofing off."

"I need good grades to stay at the dorms," Kaoru shot back. "Unlike _some_ people."

Masa stuck her tongue out at her brother and went back to her books.

At five o'clock, however, Kaoru suddenly leapt up and tossed his textbooks onto the top bunk, roaring. Masa nearly jumped out of her skin, her own books falling from the table, her pen flying across the desk. She whirled in her chair, kicking out her leg, and caught the back of Kaoru's knees. The teen crumpled to the ground, then jumped back up.

With wordless cries, the two Inoue siblings lunged at each other, and were quickly in the middle of a wrestling match.

It ended quickly, however, with Masa having Kaoru in a chokehold, the teen's head under the bed.

"I give, I give, Aniki," Kaoru yelped, after a particularily vicious tug from his sister. Masa threw her hands up in victory, then scrambled off of her brother, who emerged from beneath the bed with a cough. "Damn it all, I'll beat you someday," he grumbled, wincing after Masa cuffed him.

"Don't swear or I'll beat you but good," she said threateningly, which led to Kaoru just laughing. Eventually, Masa started giggling too, and the two of them rolled on the floor in a fit of laughter. Drying her eyes, Masa picked up her history book and pen and sat back at her desk, still chuckling. Kaoru flopped out on the floor, sighing.

"Aniki," he began, then paused. "You know, I'm going to call you that all of the time if I keep this up, Nee-chan," he said quietly. Masa shrugged.

"I'm fine with it. Besides, 'aniki' sounds close to 'aneki' with the way you say it." She grinned. "A bit of a Nagasaki accent already?"

Kaoru's eyes widened. "Oh, hell no." With that, he leapt out of the room, ignoring his sister's attempts to beat him, shutting the door behind him. "Well, what to do now?" he mumbled. "Ah! Shit. Um, Aniki-sama," he said, knocking lightly. "Could you bring something back for me to eat?"

The door opened a slit, and a hazel eye glared out from darkness. Kaoru shivered.

"I suppose," Masa drawled after a long moment. "Can't guarantee it'll be any good, though."

"It's fine," the slender teen said with a wave. "I'll just reheat it in the Meeting Room."

"Whatever." The door shut, and Kaoru pondered what to do next. Mikoto's door opened, and the redhead hobbled out of his room.

"Oh, Kaoru-kun," he said, startled. "What are you doing?"

"Nothing," Kaoru grumbled. "That's the problem. I'm getting restless."

"Oh." Mikoto glanced out the window. "Want to go outside, then? I need to do my exercises anyway."

Kaoru brightened. "Oh? Really? Yeah, sure! Thanks, Mikoto-san." Kaoru trotted into the redhead's room, emerging with his crutches. Mikoto groaned.

"Thanks, mom," he said dryly. Kaoru gave his best attempt at a Blinding Smile, which led to Mikoto squinting slighty.

"You're welcome, darling," the fluffy-haired boy said. After a moment, he realized what he had said, and coughed uncomfortably. Mikoto, however, didn't seem fazed by it at all.

"Is he used to that sort of thing, I wonder...?" Kaoru mumbled, then put it out of his mind as they went outside.

Kaoru practiced his judo while Mikoto lifted weights, the two working out in silence. Mikoto glanced at Kaoru.

"Kaoru-kun, you're sure you want to do this?" he asked, ruby eyes serious. "I can handle cheering tomorrow."

The teen frowned. "No way, Mikoto-san," the raven-haired boy said firmly. "I said I would do it, so I'll do it."

Mikoto nodded to himself. "I figured you'd say that, but I thought I'd try," he said softly. "So, you said Masa cross-dressed a lot back in middle school?"

Kaoru, taken aback, misjudged his kick and fell on his back. After a moment of catching his breath, he sat up. "I, uh. Yeah, Ayafuya did dress up fairly often." He paused, trying to judge how much he should say. Mikoto just nodded, as if confirming something.

"That makes sense, I guess." The redhead sighed. "I just wish that outside of school people wouldn't think I'm a girl, you know? I have Megumi-san, after all."

Kaoru twitched. "Oh, your girlfriend? What's she like?"

Mikoto beamed. "She's great! Hard-working, dedicated, a great cook, cheerful...she's just awesome."

Kaoru pondered this for a moment. "I see. Well, good for you, Mikoto-san," he said abruptly.

Mikoto stared at the teen. "Do you have anybody you like, Kaoru-kun?"  
Kaoru ran a hand through his hair. "Not really."

The redhead was about to say something, but thought better of it. "Well, we'd best get inside," Mikoto said, glancing up at the darkening sky. "Yuujiro, Tooru, and Masa should be back by now."

Kaoru glanced at his watch. "Oh, I'm sorry, Mikoto-san!" he said, scrambling to gather his stuff up. "I didn't mean to keep you out this late!"  
Mikoto laughed. "Don't worry about it, Kaoru-kun. It's nice to be able to talk normally to someone, you know?"

Kaoru nodded wisely, and the two headed inside. Yuujiro was sitting in the Meeting Room at the small table, with Tooru leaning over him; they were discussing something in low tones. Masa was at the microwave, drumming her fingers impatiently on the countertop. Not for the first time, Kaoru marvelled at the facilities involved in keeping the Princesses of Fujimori happy.

In the meeting room there was a large round table with eight chairs, a small endtable with a phone on it, and the counter with a sink and the microwave. Above that was some cupboards, beside it a mini fridge, and a small room off the western wall seemed to have a washing machine and dryer in it.

Tooru glanced up when the two appeared in the doorway. "Oh, hey you two," he said, then went back to murmuring in Yuujiro's ear.

"Kaoru, here," Masa said, thrusting a steaming container at her brother. "Sit. Eat. Now. You too, Mikoto." She handed a plate to the redhead, who thanked her. Kaoru just nodded at Masa, then quickly scarfed down his food.

"Jeez, you're so messy," Masa chided, lightly smacking him. "I bet your dorm room's a mess."

"Oh? Surely Kaoru-kun has someone to clean up for him," Yuujiro said, raising an eyebrow.

Kaoru choked on his food, pounding his chest. Coughing, he swiveled towards the blonde. "I do not!" he spluttered, glaring at Yuujiro, who shrugged.

"Anyway, Yuujiro, I think that ought to work," Tooru said, shuffling some papers. "I'll go talk to Arisada-san tomorrow."

Masa gave the two an inquisitive look. "Whatcha plotting?"

"Not much," Tooru said with an enigmatic grin. "Things in the future."

Masa squinted with suspicion. Mikoto just sighed as he stood, grabbing Kaoru's dishes with his own. Hobbling to the sink, he quickly washed and dried them.

"Mikoto, you're good at domestic duties," Yuujiro noted. "You'll make a great wife."  
"Yuujiro, I hate you," the redhead grumbled under his breath. The blonde simply laughed and threw his arms around Mikoto.

"That's why I love you, though," Yuujiro murmured. Mikoto flushed and attempted to get away from the blonde's embrace with little success.

Masa stared uneasily at Tooru, wondering what he was planning, whereas Kaoru was trying to figure out how he was going to manage the cheering.

The Princesses and Kaoru were in for a long, long day tomorrow.


	9. Part Eight: The Weapon of the People

Part Eight: The Weapon of the People

"All great art comes from a sense of outrage." -Glenn Close

Kaoru's hands trembled as he reached for his wig, his mind racing. The long, luxurious raven curls wrapped around his fingers, and he glanced at himself in the vanity mirror. His fluffy hair was slicked down with hair products, his brown eyes gazing back with a coat of mascara, highlighted with golden brown eyeshadow. Rouge on his cheeks gave him a permanent, maidenly blush, and the teen put his head in his hands.

"Careful, Kaoru-kun, you don't want to smear your makeup," Masa chided him, leaning on her brother's shoulder. "Don't worry, you'll be fine."

"Really, Ayafuya? I just...don't really know what to think after this," Kaoru mumbled.

"You're still you, Kaoru. You know that as well as anyone," Masa whispered into his ear, giving him a sympathetic hug. "Here, let your Aniki put your wig on." She quickly put the curly wig onto her brother's head, ensuring it was straight with a critical eye. "Natasho-senpai said you and Yuujiro would have pigtails, didn't he?"

Yuujiro, who had slipped into the nurse outfit, glanced over his shoulder. "Yeah. Here, Masa, I'll finish that. Go get ready." Flapping a hand at Masa, the blonde quickly tied his long hair into two tails, then put the cap on. A quick glance in the mirror, and Yuujiro deemed himself ready. He put Kaoru's wig into two pigtails as well, squinting to ensure they were even.

"Done," he said with a grin. "Besides, I bet Masa would have done them crooked."

Masa stuck her tongue out at her friend as she quickly shucked her clothes, then slid into the nurse's dress. She marvelled at the small details that brought the entire thing together; the lace aprons, the slightly puffed sleeves, the intricately sewn crosses on the caps. They were knee-length, so there was no fear of accidentally showing anything, and the aprons were gathered in _just_ the right places so as to give the boys a hint of a bust.

_Except, of course, mine are real,_ Masa thought with a sigh. She did the button up on the collar, then stepped into the white calf-high stockings and black shoes. She then sat at the vanity and quickly applied her own makeup, reaching for her wig. The straight brown strands glinted in the light, and she bit her lip as she put it on her head, readjusting for a few moments.

Tooru's face appeared behind her, his long blue hair looking perfect as always. "We're supposed to leave ours down, remember," the blue-eyed boy said with a winning smile. Masa looked away in disgust.

"Save that for the team," she grumbled. "Can't even rub my eyes. Damn your smile."

Tooru just laughed merrily, slim arms encircling the brunette. "Imagine where I'd be without that lovely smile," he whispered, making Masa shivered.

"Ugly?" she quipped, then ducked her head, anticipating Tooru's smack. She giggled, then flipped the long hair over her shoulder.

"Done," she said, echoing Yuujiro. "Are we all ready, then?"

The three boys and girl gave each other a once-over.

"Let's go lift their spirits!"

With three determined cries and one half-hearted sigh, the three Princesses and Kaoru strode towards the soccer field, where the Fujimori Falcons were playing against the Taketa Tigers for the champion title.

At first, Kaoru was awestruck at the change in the field. The bleachers were up, surrounding the soccer field, with extra benches near the stone stairs leading down to it. The two teams were already warming up, and the stands were starting to fill with people.

The black-haired boy noticed some students in uniforms. "You guys wear your uniforms to sports events?" Kaoru inquired curiously. Masa shook her head.

"For actual games, yeah, we're supposed to. Well, not _us_, obviously"-she did a little twirl-"but everyone else."

Tooru sighed. "Well, let's go. Katsumi-san said they reserved the bench near the field." The blue-eyed Princess pointed down at the field, where a small bench was about ten feet from the team bench. The four daintily made their way across the grass, ignoring the stares and whispers from the people around them.

"Hot _damn_, they're pretty! Wonder if they've got a boyfriend?"

"I didn't know Fujimori had girls to cheer for them. Are they from Kiba?"

"Dude, we are _so _all over that at halftime."

Kaoru stared at his feet, a blush creeping up his face. "Ayafuya!" he whispered urgently, brown eyes wide. "Are these people really going to...?" He was cut off by his sister waving her hand dismissively.

"Don't worry, Rin-chan, _we'll_ take care of those guys, should they choose to try to pick us up." Her eyes glinted frostily in the sunlight, and Kaoru shivered. He knew how cold his sister could be.

"Anyway," Yuujiro said in a bored tone, "we ought to get ready." The four of them sat on the bench, and Tooru set down the first-aid kit he had been carrying.

"You actually use that?" Kaoru asked, surprised. "You're learning useful things, Aniki."

Yuujiro grinned at the teen, his golden eyes sparkling. "We learn all _sorts_ of things, Rin-chan," he purred. Tooru shot the blonde a look, and Yuujiro laughed. "You'd be surprised the amount of times our team gets injured in any game."

"We are fairly consistent with our injuries," Tooru mused. "I wonder if it's because we're distracting them?"

"It's our job to rally the spirits of the fallen and the fighting," Masa suddenly proclaimed, standing up, pumping her fist in the air. "We will cheer until we have no voice, and we will still cheer more!"

Tooru and Yuujiro clapped as the brunette went on about "spirit" and "soul", while Kaoru just put his head in his hands and sighed. He could feel the people around him staring at them.

"Ayafuya, shut up," he mumbled, tugging his sister's dress. Masa glanced at her brother, then bowed to the people that had sat around them and took her seat. The bleachers were filling, and the noise level was rising. A whistle blew, and the two teams went to their benches.

The Princesses and Kaoru, mindful of their duties, gave waterbottles to the team members. Katsumi beamed at the four of them, his long red bangs held back with a headband.

"Ah, Mocchi," he said, glancing at Masa. "I've named my latest-and possibly greatest-move after you." He did a backflip, landing lightly. "The Mocchi Cannon!"

He kicked an imaginary ball with great gusto. Masa giggled at his antics.

"Oh ho, so the Princess of Winter _does_ laugh," Akihiko said with a good-natured grin. Eiji clapped the blonde on the back.

"She laughs, but not at your jokes. They're terrible, Akihiko," the captain said with a sigh. Akihiko coughed from the force of the blow, but laughed. The other members were huddled around Nakajo-sensei, who seemed to be dispensing some last-minute advice.

"Oi, everyone get over here," the teacher said with a muted glare. Eiji ushered the players crowded around the Princesses and Kaoru towards their advisor, but stopped and gave Kaoru an odd look.

"Rin-chan," he began, but was stopped by Katsumi lightly kicking the back of his knees. The burly captain hit the ground cursing, his colourful language drowned out by Katsumi's laughter.

Kaoru paled. "Masa, I don't think we thought this thing out entirely," he whispered urgently. "Eiji-senpai knows that I'm your brother, and honestly, the whole 'cousin' thing probably didn't fool him."

Yuujiro, who had sidled up beside the black-haired boy, blew gently into his ear. Kaoru jumped a mile, the blonde snickering.

"Don't worry, Rin-chan, even if he _did_ figure it out, he wouldn't tell anyone." He put his arm around Kaoru's waist, drawing the teen near him. "He's a good guy in that respect."

"I've heard nothing but good things about Eiji-san as well," Tooru said thoughtfully. "A truly on-the-level sort of guy; I've been talking to Katsumi-senpai lately. I guess he, Eiji-san, and Iwao-san have been together since middle school."

Masa gave the blue-haired boy a look. "When were you hanging out with Katsumi-san?" she demanded, hands on her hips.

Tooru's eyes twinkled. "If I didn't know better, Masa, I'd say you were jealous."

"Of course I'm jealous. He gets to hang out with _my_ Tooru-kun." Masa pouted adorably. Yuujiro finally released Kaoru, who had been struggling vainly for the past few minutes, and sat on the bench with a sigh.

"Masa, Masa, Masa," the blonde tutted. "We all know we have to share."

The hazel-eyed brunette stuck her tongue out at Yuujiro.

"That's not very ladylike."

"If we weren't out in public, I would _so _give you a beating," Masa grumbled.

Kaoru (by now used to the Princess' admittedly odd bantering) looked around the stands, which were almost completely full. His eyes were drawn to a flash of sunlight reflecting from ruby hair.

"Mikoto-san?" he murmured in astonishment.

Indeed, the redhead was making his way down towards where the four of them were sitting, moving a bit awkwardly due to his crutches. Kaoru quickly raced to Mikoto and gave him a hand, the two making better progress. When they reached the bench, Mikoto sat himself down wearily.

"Thanks, K-I mean, Rin-chan." He sighed, then noticed the four wide-eyed gazes at him. He blushed. "Yeah, yeah, I know, just leave it be already," he grumbled.

Mikoto, astonishingly enough, had his long, curly wig on, though it was tied back into a ponytail. He was wearing a pair of dark blue shorts and a jacket with the Falcons' logo on it, but anyone looking at him (and there were a lot of people looking) would have assumed he was a normal girl here to cheer on the Fujimori Falcons.

"Mikoto!" Masa squealed. "You've realized the joys of being a woman!"

The redhead paled. "I-no-what?" he said in confusion. Tooru grinned at him, and Mikoto had a sudden sense of danger. As that thought crossed his mind, Yuujiro was suddenly sitting in his lap.

Kaoru watched this all with a curious sense of self-detachment before coming to his senses.

"Hey, Yuujiro-san, you'd best get off of him," the teen said, brown eyes flashing. "He's not completely healed yet."

"Fiiiiine," the blonde said, pouting and scootching off of Mikoto. "Tooru, your thoughts on this momentous occasion? Mikoto, dressed up completely of his own free will."

Tooru's blue eyes were ponderous. "I get the feeling there's a certain _someone_ behind this," he said, glancing around. "Did Arisada-san blackmail you, or something?"

"No," Mikoto said reluctantly. "I just felt bad for Rin-chan." Ruby eyes met brown ones, and Kaoru looked away hurriedly.

"It's okay, Mikoto-san," Kaoru mumbled. "I appreciate the thought, though."

"Oh, they're starting," Yuujiro said, having gotten bored with the chatter. The Princesses and Kaoru were quick to carry out their duties, which involved a lot of yelling.

The game went quickly, with the Fujimori Falcons pulling off some spectacular moves. The five spectators realized why Iwao, Nori, and Mitsuri were known as the _Kiken-sei_, for they were fast and dangerous, dodging in and out of the Taketa Tiger's defenders. Hiro also showed off his amazing luck, easily evading those defending him; it was like he wasn't even there. Akihiko was the exact opposite-it was impossible _not_ to notice him. There were many, many female voices cheering when he got the ball.

"I think we don't need to cheer for _him_," Yuujiro said dryly. "He seems to have his own section."

Tooru nodded wisely. "Go Takeo-kun and Tsutomu-kun!" he suddenly bellowed, the ball having passed through the forwards, the Tigers getting dangerously close to the net. Fumio appeared from nowhere, and quickly passed the ball to his twin, and the ball was suddenly at the other end of the field. They all breathed a sigh of relief.

"Tooru, you're getting really into this," Masa said with interest. "Any particular reason?"

The blue-haired boy snorted. "Not really," he grumbled. "I just want them to win, is all. They're the only team to get this far, usually."

A kick from a Tiger and the ball soared through the air, heading towards the net. The spectators held their breath; however, the ball was suddenly stopped by Katsumi, who kicked the ball lightly into the air. Quickly spinning, the redheaded sweeper launched the ball with amazing force from his spin back at the Tigers, waving at Masa.

Masa laughed and waved back, grinning. "The Mocchi Cannon seems to be effective," she said with pride. Tooru just laughed, and even Mikoto chuckled.

"So, Mikoto," Yuujiro said in an undertone, edging closer to the redhead. "What was the _real_ reason you dressed up?"

"There was no real reason," Mikoto said stubbornly, his face set in a mulish expression. Yuujiro raised a golden eyebrow.

"I have ways of making you talk," the blonde said threateningly. Mikoto paled, obviously remembering previous experiences.

"Leave poor Mikoto-san alone," Kaoru said, lightly elbowing Yuujiro. "I'm sure Arisada-san had something to do with it. Maybe he swore Mikoto-san to silence."

The redhead's face lit up. "That's it exactly, Rin-chan," he said with a faltering grin. "Sworn to silence. Yep, you guessed it."

Yuujiro glared at Kaoru, who stared unflinchingly into Yuujiro's golden eyes. Kaoru steadfastedly refused to think on why he could easily meet Yuujiro's gaze, but looking Mikoto in the eyes seemed to be proving quite difficult for him.

Midway through the first half, Katsumi got smashed in the face with the soccer ball. Blood gushed profusely from his nose, and Nakajo-sensei called a quick time out.

Tooru rushed to the bench with the first-aid kit, Katsumi attempting to navigate while keeping his nose tilted up. Najako-sensei substituted in another player while Tooru sat beside the injured "Fujimori _Taiyo_". The other three Princesses stayed put, much to Kaoru's surprise.

"Aren't we all going to help?" he inquired, but was met with head-shaking.

"No, Tooru is the best at first aid out of all of us. Besides, we need to keep the rest of the team's spirits up while they deal with the loss of Katsumi-san," Yuujiro said with a wise expression.

Meanwhile, Katsumi gave Tooru an unabashed grin. "If I had known that getting hit in the face would net me more time with you, _Tocchi_, I would have gotten injured sooner."

Tooru sighed. "Sit still, Katsumi-senpai," he admonished. "Otherwise I can't stop the bleeding. Here, you need to lean forward a bit, and pinch the bridge of your nose with your fingers."

The sweeper obediently leaned ahead, blood dripping from his nose as he followed Tooru's instructions.

"God, you're a mess," Tooru grumbled. "Why couldn't you get hit somewhere that didn't bleed as easily? Haven't you ever had a nosebleed before?"

"I'm not Akihiko," Katsumi said cheerfully. "I don't care if my face gets smashed up. Everyone's too busy staring at my hair, anyway."

Tooru slumped. "That's not the point, Senpai," he sighed. "Here, I'll put this on the back of your neck." Displaying a cold compress, the blue-haired Princess moved behind the third-year, who shivered from the contact.

"Damn, that's chilly."

"You were expecting it to be warm? And take this." Tooru thrust a handkerchief, dampened with water, around the sweeper's shoulders. "Use it to clean up."

"Yes ma'am," Katsumi said with a grin, missed by Tooru. He dabbed at his face futilely for a few moments before Tooru sighed.

"You're so incompetant," he grumbled. "Hold the compress, I'll clean your face up." Shaking his head, his long blue hair sparkling in the sunlight, Tooru wiped the blood from Katsumi's face.

Seeing the ravishing Princess so close to him, even Katsumi blushed slightly.

"Senpai, it looks like it also cut above your nose," Tooru said with mild concern. "You'll probably need to stay out of the game until after halftime."

Katsumi sighed. "If Tocchi says so, I suppose. How do you know so much, anyway?"

"Hmm?" Tooru glanced into Katsumi's green eyes absently. "I talk to Miyagi-sensei a lot."

"I see." The silence between the two of them stretched out.

Masa watched this exchange with interest. "Did anyone else notice Tooru calls him 'senpai'?"

"Yep," Yuujiro said glumly. "We're losing him to the jock side, Masa," he said with a fake sob. "Mikoto, comfort me." The blonde flopped into Mikoto's lap. Kaoru, having taken the vacant seat on the redhead's other side, raised an eyebrow at his sister, who shrugged.

At the end of the first half, the Falcons straggled back to the bench, sweating buckets. They clapped each other on the backs and congratulated themselves on a decent lead.

Eiji plopped down beside Katsumi and Tooru. "Well, Tooru-_sensei_, will this idiot be good enough to be worked in the second half?"

"I would think so," Tooru said with a Blinding Smile. The team sighed happily. "He just needs to be careful for a bit. And ensure he keeps that compress on his neck until it's completely melted." He rose, dusting his dress off. "We'll fill your water bottles for you."

The team let out a chorus of "thank you" and "you keep us going"s. Tooru hefted the first six-pack of bottles, waving Masa, Yuujiro, and Kaoru over.

"Oh, right," Masa said with a start. "We fill their bottles at halftime." She and Yuujiro trotted towards Tooru, giving their own Blinding Smiles while handing the team towels. Kaoru sighed and rose.

Mikoto grabbed Kaoru's hand, stopping the black-haired teen.

"Yes, Mikoto-san?" he asked, staring at his feet.

"Kaoru-kun, I'm sorry about all of this," the redhead said sadly.

Kaoru glanced at Mikoto, then suddenly started laughing. Mikoto jumped in astonishment.

"I'm sorry, Mikoto-san," Kaoru said after he recovered. "It's just...you've been apologizing for days now. It's okay, I'm fine," he said with a grin. His curly black hair bounced as he bowed to Mikoto. "Thank you for your concern."

Mikoto, realizing he still had a hold of Kaoru's hand, hurriedly released it with a blush. Kaoru saluted the redhead, then ran to join his sister and the other two Princesses, giving a Faltering Blinding Smile to the team members, and the four went off to the water station.

"This is sort of out-of-the-way, isn't it?" Masa noted quizzically. It was a distance away from the field, near some warehouses.

"Not really, no," Yuujiro said dryly. "But the school wanted the storage sheds out of the way so as not to mess up the aesthetics of the field, I think."

As they filled the bottles, however, they failed to notice the four people coming up behind them, and their worlds suddenly went dark.

Masa flailed about wildly as she struggled to get free, panic setting in with her loss of vision. She hit something soft, and heard a groan; however, her hands were quickly tied and she was hefted into the air. Someone had hold of her feet and arms.

_Aw, hell,_ Masa thought glumly. _Really? Kidnapping in broad daylight?_ She exhaled slowly, trying to calm herself down. _A sack is on my head. Smells like potatoes. Okay. Now what?_

Masa was shocked when she was suddenly dumped onto the ground. She squeaked as her posterior came into contact with hard cement.

"Dude, go easy on her," a voice said disapprovingly. "We just need to keep her here, ya know?"

"Whatevs," another voice sneered. "Though he didn't say anything about us not having a good time."

Chuckles bounced around Masa's ears, and she realized this might not end well for her. Laying still, she attempted to feel the knots that had her hands tied.

She had enough presence of mind not to chuckle as she realized her captors had slacked on the knot-tying; either that, or they never really learned.

The two voices were coming up with quite vulgar suggestions as Masa eventually managed to loosen her bonds, but pretended as though they were still tight. She sat up, whimpering.

"Oh ho, it seems she's up and about," the first voice said with a laugh. "Shall we play with her a bit?"

"Oh, no, please don't hurt me," Masa said in the most pathetic voice she could muster. She wrestled discreetly with the remaining knots as she did so. "I'll do anything!"

She heard footsteps come closer, and tensed. The sack was suddenly removed from her head, and Masa saw a midsection in front of her eyes.

The brunette grinned as she rolled backwards, bracing herself with her hands as she launched herself legs-first at the man in front of her. He went down hard, the breath leaving his lungs with an audible _whoosh_.

The other man, realizing their plan was in danger, jumped to pin Masa down. She had been in the process of attempting to get up, however, which led to her smashing the top of her head into his face.

The second man crumpled to the ground with a bloody nose while Masa reeled, seeing stars. She somehow managed to work her arms free, and jumped up as the first assailant recovered and lunged at her.

A clumsy throw had him on the ground, and she quickly pounced and punched his chest. The man groaned and fell unconscious, much to Masa's surprise. She stared at her fist for a moment, wondering if she had somehow managed to gain super powers, temporarily forgetting about the other man.

He, however, had not forgotten about her. He leapt at her back, hands grasping for her neck, and Masa's years of judo kicked in. Employing the shoulder drop, she tossed him to the ground. He rolled onto his stomach in pain, and Masa quickly took advantage of the situation. Putting her knee in the small of his back, she grabbed his arm and wrenched it.

"If you'd like the continued use of your arm," she said sweetly, "I suggest you tell me what you did with the other three."

The guy, who seemed to be a bit older than her, glared at Masa over his shoulder. His eyes widened. "Y-you're a..."

Masa then realized her wig had fallen off sometime between the sack being removed and now. She grinned wolfishly, her short, messy brown hair giving her the appearance of a devil.

"A guy? Yep." She twisted the arm a bit harder. "Now. Talk."

"Shit," the guy swore. "Whatever, you fag. They're in the other storage sheds." He nodded towards the door.

"Thank you. Was that so hard?" she inquired, batting her eyes at him. She then chopped the back of his neck, and he slumped.

"Don't worry," she said cheerfully, slapping his cheek playfully. "You'll be awake in time for the end of the game." Rifling through their pockets, she found two student IDs. Grabbing her wig, she put the IDs inside it, tying two strands around her neck. A glance around showed that she seemed to be in the field storage shed; she spotted baseball, soccer, and tennis equipment. Grabbing a baseball bat, she trotted stealthily towards a door on the western wall, hoping it led outside.

The door opened with a huge creak, and Masa winced, knowing whatever advantage she would have had in silence was now long gone. Peering through the doorway, she groaned.

It was another storage shed, dedicated to the track and archery teams.

Masa was about to try the other door when she heard muted grumbling. Edging around the equipment, she listened intently, then grinned.

"Stupid no-good bastards," a familiar voice said. "LET ME OUT OR SO HELP ME-"

The curse degenerated into a scream as Masa poked the hooded figure with the end of her bat, ensuring she was well out of the way, but the brunette was unable to hold back her laughter.

"That...sounds like Masa's unfeminine giggling," the figure said after a pause. "Please take this off of me, or else I will be unable to eat potatoes for months."

Masa crouched down and obediently removed the hood, hazel eyes sparkling. Yuujiro groaned.

"I thought the prince was supposed to save the princess," he grumbled. Masa just snickered as she deftly untied Yuujiro's hands. The blonde rubbed his wrists, which were slightly red.

"They thought we were _all_ girls," Masa said with a grin. "Unfortunately, my wig fell off somewhere between "ass" and "whooping"." She struck a martial arts pose, her wig/knapsack shifting on her shoulders.

Yuujiro stared at her for a long moment. "You're quite scary, you know that?" he said finally, and Masa smiled cheerfully.

"Just don't piss me off," she said with her Blinding Smile. "I KO'd two of them. I have their IDs up here." She patted her hair. With a sigh, Yuujiro fixed the wig on the brunette's head, smoothing her messy hair down.

"We should probably go rescue the other two, though. If Kaoru gets angry, he's worse than me." Masa paused. "Actually, we should probably go rescue those other guys. We're in the storage sheds, I guess."

Yuujiro blinked as Masa headed towards a door. Sighing, the blonde grabbed Masa's arm. She reflexively clamped onto his hand, then relaxed.

"Sorry, still in judo mode," she said apologetically. "What can I do for you, Yuujiro-_hime_?"

"Wrong way, idiot."

Meanwhile, the team was anxiously awaiting the return of their Princesses (and Rin-chan). Time marched on, though, and they still had not come back.

"Oh well, we'll go on without them for now." Nakajo-sensei looked at the glum team. "If we lose while they're gone, they'll think we're a bunch of wimps."

The team gave a half-hearted cheer. Nakajo-sensei sighed, rubbing his face with his hands. "Tanaka, do the best you can with these idiots."

Eiji nodded, then cuffed the men who were sighing despondently.

"Katsumi, go see what's taking them so long, will you?" Eiji murmured. The redhead nodded cheerfully, still holding the compress to the back of his neck.

"I'll be back before you know it!" He skipped up the steps towards the water station, leaving the team in Eiji's capable hands.

His smile faded, however, as he got to the deserted water station. No one was near it. Rounding the corner, he gave a sharp intake of breath.

There, on the ground in front of the taps, were four white caps with red crosses.

"Damnit." Katsumi looked around for clues. His sharp eyes spotted some dots of red-blood?-heading in the direction of the storage sheds.

"I'm coming, _Himes_," he mumbled as he ran to the sheds. The blood drops led to the third shed. A quick try of the handle showed it was locked from the inside, and Katsumi used muscles toned from years of legwork to easily kick the door in.

With a bang, the door smashed against the wall, startling the two occupants inside. Katsumi's mind processed a slim body, the head covered in a sack, slender legs hidden beneath a white dress that was dirtied and torn, and a man. His instincts kicked in, and Katsumi launched himself at the man. It quickly turned into a brawl, punches flying everywhere. Katsumi gave far better than he got, however, and after a few moments the man was on the ground, unconscious.

Katsumi rolled onto his back and rubbed his forehead, where he had taken a good hit. Sitting up slowly, he pulled the hood from the figure.

Tooru's face came into view, his blue eyes welling with tears, long wig ruffled. "S-senpai," he whispered in astonishment. The tears fell down his cheeks. "I, um," he began, coughing and clearing his throat. He struggled to free his arms to wipe his tears, but couldn't get free. Katsumi wiped them with his thumb with infinite tenderness.

"Hey, hey, it's okay, Tocchi," Katsumi said gently, putting the blue-haired boy's head against his chest, arms encircling Tooru's slight frame. "It's all right. I'm here. They're not going to do anything to you." Katsumi quickly undid the ropes around Tooru's arms.

After a few moments, Tooru had calmed down enough to speak properly.

"Thanks, Senpai," he said shyly. "I...They...thought I was a girl..."

"No problem, Tocchi," Katsumi said with a warm smile. "I hate to see those blue eyes reddened with tears." He glanced down and noticed the rip in Tooru's nursing outfit; it ran halfway up the blue-haired boy's thigh.

As if on cue, Katsumi's nose gushed blood. He leapt back, startled, then pinched the bridge of his nose as Tooru had told him to do before.

Tooru stared in astonishment, then started to giggle. Katsumi joined in haltingly after a few moments.

"We should probably see if Mocchi, Yuucchi, and Ricchi are all right," he said in a nasal tone. "Then get back to the game." He stared at the fallen man. "I know that guy," he said after a pause. Rolling the man over, his eyes widened. "Well, shit. We'll want to talk to Nakajo-sensei."

Tooru nodded as he rose, dusting himself off. He stared at the rip for a moment, then sighed. "Oh well, it doesn't show anything." He felt a twinge of remorse for the destruction of Natasho-senpai's hard work, but it was quickly overtaken with concern for his friends.

"Come on, Senpai, let's go save the others." The blue-haired boy took the third-year's hand and guided him towards the exit.

Kaoru had managed to worm his way out of his bonds with relative ease, and was wondering what had come of the others. Hearing a commotion outside, he opened the door slightly, peering out. He spotted two men struggling to tie someone's hands. Noticing dark blue shorts, the teen was on the first of the men before they even knew what was going on. A punch to the lower jaw had him on the ground. Kaoru whirled to attack the other man, but was hit in the side of the head. Reeling, he clutched his temple in pain, and was kicked in the ribs. Gasping for breath, Kaoru grabbed the man's ankle and twisted, bringing him to the ground. Ignoring his body's demand for air, Kaoru mercilessly pummeled the man's body, taking the punches without realizing he was being hit.

"No one can touch Mikoto-san but me!" he wheezed. His adrenaline was pumping as he punched and punched until finally the man stopped moving.

Breathing heavily, Kaoru came to his senses. Feeling the man's neck, he breathed a sigh of relief as he realized the man was still alive. Kaoru went and helped the awestruck Mikoto up. The redhead stared at Kaoru for a long time.

Finally realizing what he had said, Kaoru slumped, cradling his head in his hands.

"That didn't come out right at all," he mumbled. Mikoto gave the black-haired boy a tentative hug.

"Thanks, Kaoru-kun," Mikoto whispered, trembling. Kaoru nodded, blushing, then stood up. Coughing, he dusted himself off, examining his dress for any rips. Deeming it still wearable (with a small tinge of regret), Kaoru noticed an interesting patch on the men's jackets.

Hearing a noise behind them, Kaoru and Mikoto whirled, Kaoru with his fists up, Mikoto in a hesitating defensive stance.

The doors to two of the storage sheds opened, and Yuujiro, Masa, Katsumi, and Tooru emerged. The six looked at each other in astonishment, surprise written on their faces.

"They weren't the smartest kidnappers in the world, were they?" Masa murmured with a chuckle.

Tooru sighed and shook his head, turning and wiping Katsumi's face. The third-year was staring curiously at Kaoru, his nose having stopped bleeding.

"What, do I have something on my face?" the black-haired teen inquired.

"Um, Ricchi, your..." Katsumi began, then stopped, an odd expression on his face.

"Ah." Masa quickly dodged around him, stepping in front of Kaoru. "Kaoru, your wig slipped," she hissed, shoving the poofy hair that escaped back beneath the wig.

"Oh, shit," Kaoru whispered.

Katsumi, catching the glances between the Princesses, caught on and laughed. "Well, Ricchi, we should all get back to the game. Otherwise, we'll lose, and then we won't get you to come to our lovely banquet."

"Banquet?" Masa asked, surprised. "You guys get a banquet?"  
Katsumi gave the Princesses a look. "You didn't know?" he asked, raising an eyebrow. "Eiji won the national MVP award. We're going, and so are you, if we win. Aren't you?"

Yuujiro, Tooru, Masa, and Mikoto all stared at Katsumi in confusion.

"Ooops. Someone was supposed to tell you guys. It's on Thursday night," he said sheepishly. "There'll be ballroom dancing and stuff."

Mikoto paled. "In front of other people?" he demanded, ruby eyes widening. "Dancing? _As girls?_" This last part was fairly shrieked. Tooru and Yuujiro winced.

"Been awhile since we heard that last," they chorused.

"We'll have lessons, right?" Masa asked worriedly. "I can't dance. Is three days enough time?"

Katsumi thought about this as they walked back towards the field. "Yeah, Nakajo-sensei said he would set something up. Most of us know already, but we need to brush up."

Yuujiro sighed. "Just another duty, I guess."

Mikoto stared glumly at his feet. "I hate this job."

"You haven't even been _doing_ it recently," Tooru reminded him. Mikoto flushed.

"I know, that's what makes it so hard to get back into doing," the redhead retorted. "Shut up."

Tooru just laughed.

"By the way, Tooru, your dress is ripped," Masa noted, crouching down. "_Sexily_ ripped."

Mikoto, Kaoru, Yuujiro, and Masa all glanced towards Katsumi.

"T'wasn't I, _Himes_," he said instantly. Tooru nodded.

"They thought I was a girl," the five said in unison, then broke into giggles.

"I can't possibly see why," Katsumi mumbled.

They arrived back at the field, and the Falcons' benched members erupted into cheers. The team's pace picked up, and they quickly regained the lead, much to the Princesses and Kaoru's delight. Katsumi went back into the game, and the five cheered as loudly as they could.

When the game was over, the four guys and Masa were surrounded by the soccer team, who had won by a large margin.

"Thanks to your efforts, _Himes_, we'll get to dance with you," they beamed.

Katsumi was whispering with Nakajo-sensei, whose face darkened. Masa suddenly remembered the IDs in her wig and, under the guise of stretching, retrieved them, handing them to the advisor as he passed by.

"You seven, come with me," he barked. The four Princesses, Kaoru, Eiji and Katsumi obediently followed the teacher as he stalked towards the Taketa Tigers' bench. He and the other coach had some words, and the captain of the Tigers and the coach followed him over to the group of students.

"Now. Tell them what you told me," Nakajo-sensei said with a grim expression.

The six went over their stories again. Masa added in how the IDs were from Taketa school, Katsumi mentioning he recognized one of the men as a third-string player for the Tigers, and Kaoru's noting the Taketa Tigers patch on two jackets. Eiji sighed as he heard the story.

The coach paled as he heard these accusations.

"Damn it all, Shinji!" he roared at the captain, who groaned. The five people the Fujimori students had pummeled straggled towards them, and the captain covered the ground between them in three steps. Grabbing them all by their collars, he hauled them bodily over to a surprised Nakajo-sensei and threw them onto the ground.

"You bastards apologize! What the hell were you thinking, kidnapping these girls? Do you know they could have called the police? What would that have done to your records, you dipshits?" Shinji, captain of the Taketa Tigers, bellowed. The five students cowered as they prostrated themselves on the ground before the seven Fujimori students.

"We're sorry," they said, over and over again.

"We just wanted to demoralize them a bit," one mumbled. "We were gonna let them go."

Masa crouched down, an icy expression crossing her face.

"You do realize we're _guys_, do you not?" she said frostily.

They all nodded shamefacedly.

"We do _now_, anyway," one grumbled.

"What can we possibly do to make it up to you?" Shinji said, glancing at Eiji. "You have every right to get the police involved."

Nakajo-sensei looked at the four Princesses and Kaoru. "Well?" he said expectantly.

"I...um. No harm done, really," Yuujiro said after a long moment. "They were roughed up pretty bad by us. And honestly, if we hear anything more from them, we'll simply publish the fact that they were beat up by a bunch of _girls_. Their reputation, and your school's as a result, would certainly plummet if such a thing were to get out."

Tooru gazed at Yuujiro with admiration. "How deliciously evil."

Mikoto looked at Kaoru. "Rin-chan? Masa?"

"I vote in favour of Yuujiro's plan," the brunette chirped. Kaoru shrugged.

"I don't care," he said with a sigh. "He didn't hit me that hard, anyway." The black-haired teen absently rubbed his ribs. "How about we make them pay the checkup bills as well?"

"Works for me." Tooru rubbed his hands together. "Verdict passed."

"We'll need to get some documents written up," Nakajo-sensei said in a dangerous tone. "However, leave that up to us adults." He shooed the students away, and the coach and advisor were soon in deep discussion.

"I'm really sorry about that, Tanaka," Shinji said with a sigh. "Stupid bastards." He smacked the student nearest to him. "They just really, really got sick of you guys kicking our ass."

"I understand completely," Eiji said with a laugh. "The _Himes_ are certainly part of our success, but we're three-quarters hard work. Besides, you beat us in baseball every year."

The two captains shook hands, and the Fujimori students went back to their own benches. They were surrounded by the cheering soccer team, and were carried away on the tide of victory.

Halfway back to the gymnasium, the soccer team stopped short, gaping. The Princesses and Kaoru, curious to what was holding them up, edged their way to the front.

A booth was set up with a large poster, the words sending a chill down their spines.

*****FUJIMORI FASHION SHOW!*****

**Want to see the Princess of Spring in a gown with a parasol? To admire the Princess of Summer in a swimsuit? To gaze upon the Princesses of Fall and Winter in beautiful gowns?**

**THEN BUY, BUY, BUY!**

**A merchandising booth will be set up outside of the gymnasium every day from 4pm-8pm! The top 100 people to buy the most of each Princesses' items will get a ticket to the Fujimori Fashion Show! So that means 400 of our students will be able to see the Princesses in all their luxurious glory!**

****PLEASE NOTE THAT ALL ABSENCES WILL BE NOTED AND DEALT WITH HARSHLY. QUANTITIES OF ITEMS ARE LIMITED. THE 100 STUDENTS WHO SPEND THE MOST MONEY PER PRINCESS WILL BE NOTIFIED.****

Mikoto blinked in astonishment. "So...wait."

"That means that the 100 people who buy the most of my stuff get tickets?" Tooru said curiously. "That means a lot of extra income."

Masa's eyes lit up. "Sweet," she said, visions of lunch dancing in her head. "I can't wait."

"Don't forget about the other 100 tickets they're selling to the public," Yuujiro reminded them.

"I hate this job!" Mikoto wailed, and was instantly surrounded by members of the soccer team. "Gah! Yuujiro! Save me!"

"You're on your own," Yuujiro said, sending a Blinding Smile in the redhead's direction. "Oh, that reminds me. Tooru, we'll need to go over that again tonight."

Masa glanced at the Princesses of Spring and Summer. "Go over what now?"

Tooru smiled at the brunette. "Nothing," he said sweetly. Masa glared suspiciously at the two, who grinned.

"You'll find out...eventually," they said in unison. Masa sighed.

"They're impossible when they get in that mood," she whispered to Kaoru, who was staring at the poster.

"People actually _do_ that, Aniki?" he asked in amazement.

"What, buy our stuff? Yeah. It's actually a decent way to make a living," she said after a moment. "I've saved a lot."

Mikoto, having extricated himself from the clutches of the overjoyed soccer members, tentatively tested his ankle. "I think I'll be all right for Thursday night," he said after a moment. "I'll do my best to recover so Rin-chan doesn't need to fill in for me for that, as well." A depressed look crossed his face.

"That's our Miko-chan," Yuujiro said teasingly. "All for the good of the Princesses."

"Yuujiro! I hate you," the redhead grumbled, but his heart wasn't in it.

"So, who here can dance?" Masa asked as they headed to the home ec. room to change.

"I can, but the men's part," Tooru and Kaoru said together. They looked at each other and grin.

"I've never had to," Yuujiro said with a shrug. "I'm a quick learner, though."

Mikoto sighed. "I've danced with Megumi-san a couple of times, but nothing too serious. And it was the guy's part."

Masa looked glum. "I _suck_ at dancing. I hope my partner has lots of patience."

Once their makeup was removed, the wigs placed back upon the mannequins, and the dresses laid neatly on the tables, the Princesses and Kaoru breathed a sigh of relief.

"Glad that's over with," Kaoru said with a cheerful smile. "That's all the cross-dressing I'll need to do, right, Ayafuya?"

A rap on the door interrupted Masa's response. "Come in," she called, and Arisada entered the room, blinding the five of them with his smile.

"Good evening, _Himes_, and well done on lifting the spirits of the soccer team to victory." He paused, eyes sharp. "We've taken care of the..._troublemakers_...that plagued you today."

The room temperature dropped, and they all shivered.

"Anyway, I've come to inform you that as of tomorrow, you will be practicing ballroom dancing during last period and after school. The banquet is Thursday night. I trust you will be ready for it." Without giving them a chance to reply, the president whirled from the room, and they all stared at the door.

Kaoru suddenly started to laugh, leading to Masa and the others to stare at him as though he'd lost his mind. This just made the (now) fluffy-haired teen laugh harder.

"What is so funny, Kaoru?" Masa demanded.

"It's just...he's got...such a stage presence!" Kaoru coughed out. "And he just...I dunno. You've got a lot going on, Ayafuya!" He was rolling on the ground, laughing. Mikoto chuckled with him, but Tooru and Yuujiro were deep in discussion. Spotting Masa watching them, Yuujiro grinned and gave her a finger wave.

Masa responded with a very unlady-like gesture, and Yuujiro just laughed. She wondered what they were plotting, while wondering how the _hell_ she was going to learn how to dance in three days...


	10. Part Nine: Dancing With the Heart

_(Author's note: It seems that doesn't like double-spacing or any attempt to seperate paragraphs...I'm sorry for the wall of text o_o')_

Part Nine: Dancing With the Heart

"There is a bit of insanity in dancing that does everybody a great deal of good." -Edwin Denby

"Turn, step, glide. One, two, three, one two three..."

Masa stared at her feet, trying to keep up.

She was failing. Miserably.

"One two three one two three..."

Glancing up at Yuujiro, she was slightly disconcerted to see him decked out in a tuxedo.

"Yuujiro, what the hell are you all dressed up for?" she whispered urgently. "This is practice, isn't it?"

"What are you talking about, sweetling? This is the competition, remember?" Yuujiro gave her a Brilliant Smile, quite different from his Blinding Smile.

Masa stared at the blonde before realizing something.

Yuujiro had cut his hair. He looked..._manly_.

The two of them whirled past a mirror, and Masa gasped. She was in a full, luxurious ballroom gown, and her feminity was quite obvious. The faceless people around her were whispering.

"...Masa Inoue...guys' school..."

"How _horrifying_...her parents must be so ashamed..."

Panicking, Masa tried to discern the people around her. She spotted Tooru, Mikoto, and Kaoru, all dressed (as males) to the nines, dancing with girls.

"Yuujiro! What's going on?" Masa nearly shrieked.

"Nothing, sweetling," Yuujiro said with a deep chuckle.

An announcer's voice rang through the dimly lit hall.

"Contestants two and three, Yuujiro Shihoudani and Masa Inoue. Would Yuujiro and Ayafuya please move to the center of the floor?"

The music sped up, and the two spun faster and faster. Dizzy, Masa tried to tell the blonde to stop, but he was growing bigger and bigger. She let go of him, and she fell to the ground...

With a _thump_, Masa fell out of her bed, completely disoriented.

"Ayafuya!" Kaoru whispered from across the room. He had heard his sister mumbling, then watched in slight amusement as she tumbled out of bed.

"Wha...?" Masa mumbled, sitting up. She rubbed her shoulder, which she had smacked from her fall.

"Good thing you weren't in the top bunk, Ayafuya."

"Kaoru."

"Hmm?"

"Shut up."

Kaoru snickered and rolled over, ignoring his sister's pointed glares. With a sigh, Masa rubbed the sleep from her eyes and threw a long-sleeved sweater and sweats over her pyjamas, the latter _not _being attire she'd want to be seen in outside of her room.

A glance at her clock showed it was only 6am. Curling her lip in disgust at herself, she exited her room and went around the corner to the washroom. It was small enough that it didn't have a shower, much to her chagrin.

Masa peered at herself in the mirror, taking a good, long look at herself for the first time in a long time.

Wide, expressive hazel eyes stared sleepily back at her, small lips set below a pert nose turned downwards in a grimace. Her skin was pale, so pale that the marks from her pillow stayed on her face for a good long while. She ran a hand through her messy, unkempt hair, which had grown a bit since her first day here; now, the brown wavy strands were nearly to her shoulders.

She pulled her lower eyelid down, examining the bags under her eyes critically, then glanced at her figure.

"I really can't believe I've managed for this long," she mumbled. "I should probably thank Mom for the androgenyous genes." She paused for a long moment, lost in the past.

Snapping out of her reverie, Masa sighed and splashed her face with water before returning to her room. Kaoru was asleep again, and the brunette sat beside her brother's bed.

"_Baka_," she muttered, poking his cheek lightly. "Coming here and getting everyone all riled up. Why can't you just make up with him already?"

Kaoru opened a hazel eye. "I don't need to tell you that, do I, _Aneki_?" he mumbled, startling Masa. She twitched, then smacked her younger brother lightly on the head.

"Ow," Kaoru grumbled sleepily. "Leave me 'lone."

"Go back to bed. You don't have anything to do today." Masa absently petted her brother's soft, fluffy hair, then frowned. She ran a hand through her own hair, which was tangled and definitely _not_ fluffy.

"Stupid Kaoru and his nice hair," she muttered. Getting up, she plunked herself down at her desk and brought out her English textbook. While she studied, she pondered what Yuujiro and Tooru had been planning. They'd been quite secretive for a while now, and it disturbed her.

She heard a door creak open and the light patter of footsteps. Deciding she'd spent enough time staring at her textbook, Masa quickly changed into her uniform, staring at herself in the mirror.

"Come on, I'm a young girl in the prime of her life," she grumbled. "And still nothing up top."

"Good thing, Aneki, otherwise you'd have to go to a different school," Kaoru said, sitting up. He rubbed his eyes tiredly for a moment, then yawned. "Do you still have some milk in the fridge?"

"Yeah, go have breakfast. I gotta go eat with the others." Masa attempted to wrestle her hair into some semblance of neatness, but failed completely.

"By the way," Kaoru said, rolling onto his stomach, "I just noticed I've never seen you in phys. ed class."

Masa glanced at her brother with amusement. "We actually don't participate that much," she said with a wry grin. "We're usually doing Princess duties during seventh period. But when we do, we wear the normal gym clothes. Most guys don't care all that much about us if we're not in Princess mode."

Kaoru thought about this for a moment. "I really don't understand what it is about you four that makes these guys go batty," he grumbled. "Especially you."

Masa chucked a pillow at her brother. "Shut up, _baka_. I'm quite popular in my own right." She attempted to tame a cowlick without success, then pouted at her reflection.

A rap on the door made her jump. "Come in," she said after a moment, and Yuujiro stuck his head in.

"Hey Masa, Kaoru-kun. You ready to go eat?" the blonde inquired. Masa glared at his perfectly arranged tresses. "What's that look for?"

"Damn your hair," she muttered, trotting to the door. "Kaoru, what are your plans today?"

"I thought I'd practice judo today. Eiji-senpai invited me."

"Don't forget we're practicing dancing today," Yuujiro reminded Masa, who shivered.

"I had a really odd dream about that," she mumbled. "You were all..._manly_. It was weird."

Yuujiro raised an eyebrow at the brunette. "I'm manly all the time. It's just hidden behind my more feminine attributes."

Masa snickered, then turned to her brother. "I think we're practicing in the gym, if you want to stop by. Dance practice starts after school. You know how, right?"

"Yeah. Dancing was mandatory last year, as part of gym class."

"Maybe we can use you." Tooru stuck his head in the door, blue eyes dancing. "I don't know how well the soccer team knows how to dance."

"Even Katsumi-senpai?" Yuujiro asked in a teasing voice. Tooru blushed slightly.

"Never asked."

"You were too busy being rescued by him."

"_You_ were saved by Masa."

"...shut up," Yuujiro grumbled, shooting a look at Masa, whose expression rivaled an angel's innocence.

"I can't help it if I'm more well-versed in ass-whooping than delicate Yuujiro," she said with a smile. "I'm a rough-and-tumble sort of guy." _Not a guy at all, actually,_ she added mentally as an afterthought.

"Indeed, your very manner of speaking is coarse and uncouth," Yuujiro said, nose in the air. Masa lightly smacked the blonde, who laughed, wincing and rubbing his shoulder.

Tooru, noticing Masa's flyaway hair, sighed and shook his head.

"All this time as a "girl", and you _still_ haven't managed to tame that mess you call hair?" the blue-haired boy tutted. "Sit."

Masa obediently sat at her desk. "We're going to be late for breakfast," she reminded him.

"You're not going to die from eating late," Tooru shot back. "Hold still."

Mikoto appeared in the doorframe, curiousity in his ruby eyes. "What's taking you guys so long? Hey, Kaoru-kun." The redhead blushed slightly, remembering the dramatic rescue of the previous day.

"Morning, Mikoto-san," Kaoru said, looking away from the redhead. "You're learning to dance, right? Is your ankle healed enough?"

"Yeah. When we all went to Miyagi-sensei yesterday, he said I should be fine." The group had visited the school doctor after the attempted kidnappings. Mikoto watched Tooru deftly handle Masa's runaway strands interestedly. "Is that how your hair is always so nice, Tooru?"

"Of course." Tooru gave a Blinding Smile at the redhead. "I take care to uphold Fujimori's good name. We're ambassadors of the school, you know."

"Did anyone else get a bunch of phone numbers yesterday?" Kaoru asked after a moment's pause.

"No," Yuujiro, Tooru, and Masa chorused.

"I did," Mikoto said glumly.

"It's because the two of you give off this aura of weakness," Yuujiro said with a gleam in his eyes. "Makes us sadists want to...play with you."

"Yuujiro! I hate you," Mikoto wailed. "I'm not weak!"

Masa thumped her palm. "That reminds me. I'm s'posed to visit Miyagi-sensei today. Someone remind me during lunch."

"Really? He asked you to visit him during lunch? Doesn't he know how much you like to eat?" Yuujiro inquired with a grin. Tooru nodded his assent.

"Does seem sort of odd. Oh, well, if poor Masa gets sick, we'll just have to play with Miko-chan _even more_."

Mikoto backed away slowly, his face pale. "Don't even joke about that," he said, aghast. "I put up with enough of that from my classmates."

Tooru finished fixing Masa's hair with a satisfied sigh. "There. Isn't that much better?"

Masa did a little twirl, fluffing it. "How about it, guys, do I look sexier now?"

"Sexi-_er_? When were you ever sexy in the first place?" Yuujiro snorted. Mikoto sighed.

"It's gonna be one of those days," the redhead said gloomily.

Masa yawned as she grabbed her textbook, following Yuujiro and Tooru down the hallway sleepily.

"What's with you this morning?" Tooru inquired, blue eyes curious. "You're a bit lackluster."

"Shuddup," the brunette grumbled. "I have low blood pressure. It gets me sometimes."

Yuujiro glanced at what Masa was carrying. "We have History now, right?" he asked in a tone that made Masa suspicious.

"Yeah, why?"

"Then why do you have your English textbook?"

Masa groaned and smacked her face with her book. Yuujiro laughed merrily at her mistake.

"You're such a space case sometimes," he said, ruffling her hair.

"Quiet, you," Masa said with a glare. "I've got a lot on my mind is all. And how _dare_ you ruin the great Tooru-sama's hard work on my hair!"

Tooru pouted. "Yeah, Yuujiro," he grumbled. "I don't have anything to properly fix it with."

Masa flapped a hand at her friends to go on ahead as she trotted back to the classroom to exchange her books. "English is next class," she muttered. "Damn it all, why does it have to be _dancing_? It could be anything. But no, _someone_ decides we're going to be twirling around with dresses and ribbons." She paled. "I do not think I can go through that again."

A rap on the door made her jump. Whirling, she spotted a curly mop of black hair, framing mischievious blue eyes.

"Hey there, Masa-_hime_," Mitsuru said with an easy grin. "Thought I heard you mumbling to yourself. What are you doing all alone?"

In explanation, the brunette held up her history text.

"Ah. I see." The boy rocked on the balls of his feet. "We have math next." His smile faded. "I really, _really_ suck at it. Good thing I have Nori and Fumi with me, though."

Masa gave him a small smile. "You're not the only one. Mikoto struggles with it, too."

"Really? I can't see Mikoto-_hime_ being bad at academics." The curly-haired boy pondered this for a moment.

"Mitsuru, who are you bothering?" two voices asked in unison. Mitsuru jumped up, a bit guiltily.

"Oh, it's Masa-_hime_," Nori said, his eyes widening in surprise. "Good morning. We didn't see you at all this morning."

"Yeah, we didn't really have much for duties today." Masa shrugged. "Do you expect much out of us otherwise?"

"Not so much," Fumio said, shaking his head. His shoulder-length black hair settled neatly back into place, earning him a jealous stare from the brunette. "Mitsuru, shouldn't we be going? We're gonna be late."

Mitsuru yelped in suprise. "You're right! If I'm late again, Honoka-sensei is going to give me extra homework!" The boy was off down the hall in a flash, and Masa fancied she could see a cloud of dust left in his wake.

The twins sighed and followed after, bidding a good day to Masa. She absently nodded and quickly made her way to her class. If she was late, she'd probably get more homework, too.

Lunchtime rolled around, and Masa grimaced as she stood from her desk, stretching. Catching the stares of her classmates, she shot them a look.

"Can I help you with anything?" she inquired in a sweet-yet-icy tone.

"No, Masa-_hime_," one student sighed. "Just admiring you."

"While I appreciate the attention, please ensure you do not pay more attention to me than the classes," she reprimanded them. Tooru and Yuujiro blinked in surprise.

"It's been a while since we've seen the 'winter' part of you," Yuujiro said with a grin.

"I'm going to visit Miyagi-sensei," Masa grumbled.

"Want us to buy something for you?" Tooru inquired, but Masa shook her head.

"I'll be okay. I don't know how long this will take." Masa stalked towards the nurse's office, her mood darkening. By the time she got there, she was frustrated at herself. Knocking heavily on the door, she entered and closed it behind her.

Miyagi-sensei was at his desk, going over some papers. Glancing up at the brunette, he rubbed the bridge of his nose and sighed.

"Ah, Inoue-kun." He gestured to a bed. "Sit, please."

Masa sat, staring glumly at her feet.

"What's wrong?" Miyagi-sensei asked, raising an eyebrow. "Anything you want to talk about?"

Masa considered this, but shrugged. "Not really, but thanks for asking. I think this is something I just need to deal with."

"All right. If you change your mind, you know where to find me." He pulled a stool up in front of her, his green eyes probing. "Any headaches, blurry vision, or numbness? Have you been eating regularly?"

"No, no, no, and yes," Masa sighed. "Do you need to take blood?"

"No, but I will do a blood pressure test." Miyagi-sensei turned to get the machine when Masa's stomach growled. Loudly.

The brunette blushed crimson in embarrassment. Miyagi-sensei, however, just laughed.

"I see you have Hana-senpai's looks _and_ appetite," he said with a chuckle.

Masa sat up straighter, intrigued. "You knew my mom?"

"Yeah, she and Kosuke-san were my senpais back in high school. Your father drafted me into the Theatre Club." The doctor shuddered.

"That explains...a lot, actually," Masa said after a moment, shocked. "More than it should, anyway. I always wondered where Dad found all those costumes."

Miyagi-sensei rubbed his face. "Kosuke-san was-scratch that, still is-an interesting person. Absolutely no regard for gender whatsoever...like a certain first-year?"

"I know, I know," Masa muttered. "I couldn't tell anyone that I was coming to Fujimori. They'd have had a fit. Even Dad was a bit surprised." A stubborn expression crossed her face.

"And _that_ look is courtesy of your father," Miyagi-sensei said with a chuckle. "I saw it often, especially when he found someone _perfect_ for a part in a play, gender be damned. And he always managed to convince them to help out." The doctor shook his head in wonder. "I still don't know how he did it. Even Hana-senpai was okay with playing men's parts more often than was normal."

"Dad doesn't talk much about his past," Masa said with interest. "I should come and chat more often."

"Well, as long as it's not intruding on your classes, feel free." Miyagi-sensei quickly hooked Masa up and after a few moments, had her blood pressure. "Looks good for now. Here, I figured you'd be hungry." He swiveled and grabbed some meat buns from his desk. "So I guess your brother got Hana-senpai's endurance, and Kosuke-san's looks? You two are like miniature versions of them."

"I s'pose," Masa mumbled as she scarfed the buns down. "Dad is always worrying about me. I took judo so he wouldn't, but it didn't help much, really. What did Mom play for sports?"

"Hana-senpai was, well, an excellent athelete. She was greatly admired by the underclassmen, both boys and girls alike." Miyagi-sensei pondered for a moment. "Now that I think about it, I think she even had a fanclub. Anyway"-he shook his head to clear his thoughts-"she did archery, track, and soccer."

Masa nodded. "I knew about archery. It was how she and Dad met, after all." She stood, dusting the crumbs from her lap. "Sorry, Sensei, but I should probably head back to class. We are done, aren't we?"

"Yes, yes, of course." The doctor waved her out of the room. "Come to me if anything changes, okay?"

"Yessir." Masa bowed and hurried back to her classroom. Tooru and Yuujiro were discussing something in whispers, but upon seeing Masa, glanced askew at each other and straightened up.

"What's up, you two?" Masa demanded suspiciously. "You've been doing that for a while now."

"Nothing," Tooru said with an innocent Blinding Smile.

"That doesn't work on me," the brunette warned. Yuujiro grinned.

"Nothing that concerns you, Masa. Not yet, anyway."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Never you mind." Yuujiro chuckled enigmatically, leaving Masa to shove that odd comment into the back of her head.

Throughout the afternoon classes, Masa's thoughts were far away as she dreaded the upcoming dance practice. Unfortunately, as with most things you're not looking forward to, time flew by. The bell signalling the end of school rang out, startling Masa.

"You're jumpy today," Tooru noted with interest. "Any particular reason or what?"

"Nope, not a one," Masa said hurriedly. "I'm totally fine with dancing."

Yuujiro grinned. "Really? Are you afraid of dancing, or what?"

The brunette shook her head emphatically. "Of course not. It's just intricate steps with music and dresses and..." She trailed off, paling. "Guys, I don't know if I can do it."

Tooru gave her an odd look. "Didn't you do judo?"

"That and dancing are _completely _different things," Masa said with a shudder.

"You're starting to sound like Mikoto," Yuujiro grumbled, swishing his hair over his shoulder. "We don't need two of you trying to ditch on your duties."

"Come on, we need to go," Tooru reminded them, tugging the two towards the door. "We can discuss this later, preferably within earshot of Mikoto." He grinned, blue eyes sparkling with mischief. Yuujiro laughed, and even Masa chuckled.

Masa and the three Princesses trotted to the gymnasium. They were a bit surprised to see only the ten starters.

"Hey, Katsumi-senpai," Tooru called, waving at the redhead. Katsumi spun, his face lighting up with delight.

"Ah, Tocchi." His gaze dropped briefly down the blue-haired boy's figure before bouncing back up to his face. "You look fabulous."

Tooru blinked, his cheeks reddening slightly. Yuujiro smirked and poked the Princess of Spring in the ribs.

"I, um, thanks, senpai," Tooru said, smoothing down his skirt. The Princesses were dressed in the female version of the school uniform.

"We didn't know what we'd be wearing," Masa chirped, "so we thought we'd go classic."

The soccer team nodded in agreement.

"Oi, Katsumi, quit playing around and get over here," Eiji rumbled, his deep voice bouncing off of the walls. Katsumi bowed to the four and skipped over.

"Where's Nakajo-sensei?" Mikoto wondered, shifting his weight from foot to foot. "We're a bit early, so maybe they're still setting up?"

"Did I hear Mikoto?" As if summoned, the brown-haired teacher stuck his head out of a small door. "Ah, you're here. Good. Early, too. I like that. And dressed already. Excellent." The teacher rambled on for a bit before pausing. "Anyway, sorry about that." He coughed, then rubbed his face. "The reason these guys are here today is because, _despite_ their being the first string team, they _still can't dance_." Nakajo glared at the ten boys, who looked away sheepishly.

"Hey, we can dance, just not as well as the others," Takeo piped up, hands on his hips. "Don't put Tsutomu and I in with these clods." He ran a hand through his straight hair, striking a pose.

Tsutomu chopped the back of Takeo's head. "Shut up, _baka_." He turned to the Princesses, bowing politely. "_Himes_, my partner and I will be in charge of your instruction. Takeo has improved enough that he'll be helping us out."

A girl with long, brown hair turned from the back of the gym at Tsutomu's words. "Oh, I've heard about you from Tsutomu-kun," she said, smiling. "My name is Miwa Kashima. Nice to meet you."

"Nice to meet you as well," Masa, Yuujiro, and Tooru chorused. Mikoto mumbled something at his feet.

"Hey, be nice to the lady," Masa whispered, poking the redhead. "She thinks we're girls."

"Really?" Mikoto said doubtfully, tears welling in his ruby eyes.

"For sure. She wasn't phased at all. Just act like a girl."

Mikoto sniffled, but nodded.

"Sensei!" Tooru called, raising a hand. The teacher glanced at the blue-eyed boy.

"Yes, Tooru-san?"

"There are eight boys and only four of us," he pointed out with a quizzical look. "What are we going to do?"

"Well, we've partnered you four up, and we'll be borrowing some other girls as well. Tooru, you'll be with Katsumi. Mikoto, you and Nori are together, Masa and Fumio, and Yuujiro and Akihiko."

Yuujiro groaned as Akihiko slid closer to him.

"How perfect, my _Hime_," the blonde boy said, eyes sparkling. "Fates decreed us to be together!"

"That didn't answer my question, Sensei," Tooru said, ignoring Yuujiro's pointed glares.

"Oh, I've invited some of my friends from Kiba School," Miwa said with an easy smile.

Mitsuru, who had been doing jumping jacks out of boredom, looked up with alarm. "Oh, no," he said, suddenly backing away from the door. "That probably means..."

The gym doors burst open behind the Princesses, causing them to jump and whirl.

"Ah, Mitsuru-kun, I _thought_ I'd see you here," a voice said with a laugh. A _stunningly_ beautiful woman entered the gymnasium, blinding everyone inside. Her hair was glossy, the dark curls perfectly falling to frame long eyelashes. She was tall, but amazingly proportioned. Masa looked at her own chest with envy.

"Onee-chan," Mitsuru groaned.

"Yes, that's right," the woman said with a giggle. "Nice to meet you, everyone. I'm Akane Ito, Mitsuru's older sister." She bowed to the group, then noticed the Princesses. "Oh, aren't you four _adorable_? What school do you go to?"

While she bombarded Tooru and Yuujiro with questions, Masa glanced behind her. Akane's blinding effect was wearing off, and she spotted three girls in the entryway, chatting.

Masa's eyes widened. Mikoto, noticing the brunette's odd look, peered into the doorway as well. He, however, didn't see anything as interesting, and went to talk with Nori.

The three girls that entered the gym were in the Kiba School uniform, which consisted of a yellow vest, a blue plaid skirt, and long white socks. One of the girls was petite, her short brown hair held in two clips, and one had short, thick, wavy black hair. The other, however, was one Masa knew quite well. She was tall, with short, light brown hair except for a long, slim braid down to her knees.

"Ch-Chihiro-chan?" Masa yelped in amazement, her hazel eyes widening.

The tall girl stared curiously at Masa for a moment, her amber eyes lighting up.

"Maa-chan!" she squeaked. "I haven't heard from you in _forever_!" She hugged the short Princess in glee, her braid entwining around them.

The other people standing in the gym watched in bemusement. Yuujiro had a concerned look on his face, his golden eyes darkened with worry. Tooru and Mikoto stared blankly.

"Hey, Masa, who's this? Did you have a girl on the side and you never told us?" Tooru murmured, moving beside the brunette.

"What? No. No, this is...Chihiro Takahashi. We went to middle school together," Masa said, running a hand through her wig.

"My brother is a friend of Iwao-san," Chihiro said with a grin. "And this," she said, pulling the shorter girl,"is Kyoko Ichihara-chan, and Shion Fuu-chan." She then skipped to the door and pulled the other girl inside. "I'm going to be dancing with Iwao-san, Kyoko-chan is gonna be with Ito-kun, and Shion-chan is dancing with Higa-san."

Masa, whose thoughts had been racing at this new development, suddenly realized the potential danger she was in. "Let's go catch up, Chihiro, while Sensei and the others get set up," she said, grabbing her friend's arm and tugging her away.

Chihiro obediently followed, wondering what this was all about. She then looked more closely at Masa's outfit, and she thumped her fist into her palm.

"I got it," the tall girl said with a grin.

"Chihiro-chan," Masa began, but trailed off at the look in her friend's eye.

"You joined this school because of some sort of quest, right?"

"...what?"

"Yeah! It makes perfect sense! In order to find yourself, you have to learn what you're not, or something like that!"

"Chihiro. No." Masa stared in amazement at her friend, then started giggling. "I...I joined this school because it's the best."

Chihiro paused and quirked an eyebrow. "What are people going to think when they see Fujimori on your list? Isn't this a well-known guy's school?"

Masa started to speak, then stopped. A stubborn expression crossed her face. "This is the best place for me to be."

Chihiro sighed, then gently ruffled Masa's wig, moving it experimentally. "So you didn't grow your hair out. Damn." She pouted, then giggled. "So you're a girl, pretending to be a boy, pretending to be a girl? What would Kaoru-kun think?"

"Kaoru's here, actually," Masa said dryly. "He thinks it's quite odd as well."

Chihiro blinked in astonishment. "Really? Why?"

"His school is being repaired, and you know how he feels about going home."

"I see. So he hasn't made up yet..." Chihiro tilted her head to the side, pondering. "Well, Masa-chan. Wait, it's okay if I call you -chan, right?"

"Yeah, because I think the girls from your school think we're actually girls, in order to avoid any misunderstandings..."

"I understand." Chihiro's amber eyes glinted. "Not as interesting a scenario I had hoped. By the way, the blonde one..." She gestured to Yuujiro. "He's your main, right?"

Masa's face turned crimson. "What?" she yelped, glancing over her shoulder. Yuujiro was watching them suspiciously.

"I noticed while you're _all_ a little touchy-feely (is that normal for the...Princesses, you're called?) he seems to like to be near you."

The brunette stammered, then sighed. "Chihiro-sama. Please, please do not use your sharp eyes on me or the other three. We can't handle your edged truths."

"I suppose," the tall girl said wickedly. She waved at Kyoko, who raised an eyebrow, but nodded. "So, Masa-chan, have you seriously thought about all of this?" Chihiro gestured broadly. "I mean, what is your university going to think, seeing that you went to an all-boys school?"

Masa paused. "I'll think about that later," she said with a nonchalant wave. "This isn't the time, nor the place, to be discussing my future." Masa glanced at the other boys, then at her friend.

"I'll keep your secret," Chihiro assured her, amber eyes warm. "I wish you would have told me you were coming to Fujimori, though. Why haven't you texted me?"

"I'm sorry," the brunette apologized, clapping her hands together and bowing in forgiveness. "I honestly haven't really had time to stop and gather my thoughts. I haven't texted _anyone_ in forever."

Chihiro thumped Masa lightly on the head, sticking out her tongue. "I'll forgive you if you promise to make me something delicious."

"Done and done."

Tooru and Mikoto watched the two girls interact with suspicion.

"Don't they look a little _too_ friendly?" Tooru grumbled, swishing his long blue hair.

"They do look like two proper ladies," Mikoto admitted, then turned to Yuujiro. "You've been quiet for a while, Yuujiro."

"Afraid of some competition, Yuu-chan?" Chihiro asked, wiggling her hips as she walked over.

Yuujiro snorted. "As if _you_ could compete with _me_," he said proudly, swishing his hair. His golden eyes narrowed. "And who are you to call me Yuu-chan?"

"Why, I'm Masa's _childhood friend_," Chihiro said sweetly, hugging Masa, who was about to speak. The small brunette was squished by her taller friend, unable to talk, making muffled noises of distress. "And Masa's friends are my friends, right, Maa-chan?"

"You sound like Katsumi-san," Masa grumbled, pushing away from Chihiro. "Giving me weird nicknames."

"I object, Mocchi," Katsumi piped, an easy grin on his face. "I only give those names to people I like." He winked, and Masa felt herself blushing.

"Damn you and your roguish looks," the brunette muttered, sighing.

"Okay, okay, that's enough time," Nakajo said, clapping loudly. "May I have your attention, please?"

The soccer members, the Princesses, and the three girls turned towards the teacher, obediently shutting up. Nakajo looked a bit surprised at how easily the boys had listened.

"Damn, if I knew getting you all together with some girls would make you this complacent, I would've petitioned for a co-ed school a long time ago."

The boys laughed half-heartedly, and Masa snickered.

"Anyway, I'm going to turn you over to Tsutomu-kun and Miwa-chan, okay? Be good and listen, or else I'll get in trouble from the Director for letting you guys mess up on the dance floor." Rubbing his head, Nakajo sat in the corner, motioning for Tsutomu to take his place.

"All right, guys and girls"-Tsutomu bowed to the women-"let's begin, shall we? These guys know the basics of dancing already, but who among the girls knows the waltz?"

Shion and Akane raised their hands.

"Good. I figured you would know, since Miwa-chan said it was a class." Tsutomu glanced at Kyoko, Chihiro, and the Princesses. "You guys need to learn from scratch? It shouldn't be _too_ hard. Hey, Takeo. You take the guys through it while Miwa-chan and I work with the girls, okay?'

Takeo looked quite disheartened, but nodded.

"Good. We'll only be doing the basic box step waltz, but you'll need to get the rhythm down before we put you with the men."

A chorus of groans met this statement, which was met with a glare from the first-year.

"Can't you go easy on us, Tsutomu-sensei?" Hiro inquired, making a sad face.

"No chance. You forget I work in the Goto Dance Studio. You will learn, or you will spend the next two days in hell."

Masa swore she saw fire in his eyes as he said this, and she shivered. Yuujiro, sensing her discomfort, edged over.

"What's up?" he asked, golden eyes curious.

"I'm in for hell," Masa muttered.

"No, no, no! It's a _smooth_ action, not choppy! Shoulders parallel to the ground! You guys need to look over the lady's right shoulder unless you're turning, not at your feet!"

"That's not quite right, Tooru-san. Your waist should move like _this_, not like that."

Apparently, Takeo was having some problems with getting the guys up to par, so Tsutomu left the girls with Miwa. His demeanour changed greatly when he was teaching the guys, and Masa giggled at his sudden change.

"Oh, Tsu-kun's always like that when he's in dancing mode," Miwa sighed, hearing Masa's laugh. "And Masa-san, the rhythm is _one_, two, three, not one, _two_, three. You're off by a beat."

Masa stared in bewilderment at the long-haired girl, who smiled.

"Don't worry, you'll catch on quickly," Miwa assured her. Masa still felt a sense of dread, however, that couldn't be dispelled by pretty words of encouragement.

Shion and Akane knew enough that they were helping Miwa, guiding the first-years into the proper stance and ensuring their steps weren't faltering.

"Glide, not stumble," Shion chided Mikoto, pursing her lips. "Heel, then ball of the foot. Long steps, and a rise to the toes at the end of the first beat."

Yuujiro, who was being chastised by Akane for slouching, sighed. "I never realized there was this much work involved," he grumbled, wiping a strand of hair off of his sticky forehead. "It's hot in here."

"Tsu-kun, we should take a breather," Miwa called, noticing the lackluster movements from everyone on the floor. "Then we can pair them up and let them go."

"I agree," Tsutomu said after a moment. "Take fifteen. Miwa-chan, can you come here?" The two went into a corner, whispering.

Chihiro sank onto the floor, rubbing her calves. "I'm not used to this," she complained, shaking her head. "It doesn't look _that_ hard."

"I know, right?" Masa said with a laugh that ended in a gasp. "I'm doing better than I thought I would, anyway."

"You mentioned you hated dancing," Tooru said, sitting cross-legged, his blue eyes probing Masa.

"Well, I've always been absolutely _horrible_ at it. Like rocks-for-feet bad. My dad wouldn't let me try after a while." She paused, hazel eyes distant. "I can't exactly remember when, but he finally forbade me from dancing."

This was met with quizzical stares from the three Princesses. Masa shrugged.

"He was kinda disappointed, actually," Masa murmured, thinking. "He wanted me to follow in his footsteps."

"Your dad dances?"  
"Not anymore. He used to, though. His club in high school put on musicals all of the time."

Mikoto shivered. "Ugh, I hate singing."

Yuujiro elbowed the redhead. "We'd probably hate your singing, too. You probably couldn't carry a tune in a bucket."

"Yuujiro, shut up!" Mikoto wailed.

Chihiro watched this with rapt fascination.

"What are you thinking about, Chihiro?" Masa whispered, scootching over to her friend.

"While they pass for ladies, I'd figure something was up," the tall girl murmured. "Are you like this all the time?"

Masa paused. "Yeah, actually. We have an...odd relationship."

"No kidding." Chihiro looked thoughtful for a moment. "What are your plans on Showa Day?"

"Hmm? Nothing, I guess. Why?" Masa looked suspiciously at her friend.

"I just figured I'd get to know your friends better," her friend said with an angelic smile.

"I vehemently refuse," Masa said grumpily. "You'll cause trouble."

"Me? Never."

"What are you two talking about so seriously?" Yuujiro inquired, poking Masa in the ribs. The short brunette jumped and yelped.

"Masa won't let me hang out with you guys on Showa Day," Chihiro said with a sad look. "I wanna talk. We can go to that cake shop!"

Yuujiro blinked, considering the tall girl's proposal. "I don't see why not. Yo, Tooru. Mikoto. We're going out with these two on Showa Day."

"What?" Mikoto said, aghast. "But I was going to hang out with Megumi-san!"

"Nope. Not anymore." Yuujiro's eyes glinted mischievously. "Or else we'll tell her."

"I hate you," Mikoto said, tears in his eyes.

Tooru hugged the redhead. "It'll be okay, Mikoto," he whispered. "We can bring Kaoru-kun along."

Mikoto gave Tooru an odd glance. "Why would that cheer me up?"

Tooru shrugged. "You two seem to get along."

Suddenly, Tsutomu and Miwa trotted back, and Tsutomu clapped his hands.

"All right, guys, we're going to pair you up now. Mind you, you don't _have_ to dance with each other at the banquet, so keep that in mind."

The guys cheered lustily.

"Okay, let's try not to crush our feet. Remember the basic steps, and if I so much as _see _the guys glancing at their feet..." Tsutomu glared in the direction of Eiji, who grinned and rubbed his head.

Miwa smiled reassuringly at the ladies. "Don't worry, just do your best. We have all the time we need tonight."

"As long as my legs hold up," Chihiro grumbled.

"Iwao-san, you and Chihiro-san are going to be together, because you're both quite tall." Tsutomu ducked as Miwa tried to smack him, but Iwao laughed.

"I know Chihiro-chan's brother, so it's not going to be awkward at all," he said with a smile. "Good. Eiji, you'll be with Akane, so she can help you if you happen to screw up." Eiji bowed and offered his hand to the lovely maiden, who graciously accepted.

"I'll be gentle," Akane said with a wicked grin. Eiji's eyes widened in alarm.

"Katsumi-san, you'll dance with Tooru-_hime_. Hiro-san, you and Shion-san will be together, and Nori-san and Mikoto-_hime_."

The three obediently held hands, Tooru blushing slightly. Masa watched with interest-Tooru was usually so calm. Although it _was_ a bit uncomfortable for them to be dancing with guys. This was the most contact any of the Princesses had ever had to have with the students.

Mikoto was staring at his feet as he put his hand on Nori's shoulder. Nori smiled at the redhead.

"Don't worry, Mikoto-_hime_," he said, patting Mikoto. "I know how to dance, so follow my lead."

"Masa-_hime_, you'll dance with Fumio. Akihiko..." Tsutomu trailed off, the Ouji-sama of Fujimori already having taken Yuujiro's hand. Masa covered her eyes at the sight of the two blondes together, blinded by the brightness.

"Never mind. Mitsuru, you'll dance with Kyoko-san." With that, Tsutomu started the music, and the sixteen started their practice.

Masa stumbled over the first few steps, accidentally trodding on Fumio's feet. "I'm sorry," she whispered, staring at her feet, feeling a blush creep up her face. "I really, really suck at dancing."

"Don't worry, Masa-_hime_," Fumio said, brown eyes warm. "I'll help you along."

Masa glanced up at the boy, then at her hands. They were so much smaller than his.

_I wonder how big Yuujiro's hands are?_ the brunette wondered, then shook her head. "I'll do my best," she said with a tentative smile.

"That's all we ask," Fumio grinned. "Besides, what's the worst that can happen? You step on my feet? That's nothing compared to training."

Nori, who glided beside them, laughed. "It's true. I'm surprised we haven't broken any bones yet."

"Not for your not trying, Nori," Mitsuru grumbled as he sidestepped. "I swear you're trying to kill us."

Katsumi whirled past them all, looking as though he was on ice. "You just need to increase your endurance," he called as he swept Tooru around. The blue-eyed boy was staring at his senpai with an interested look on his face. Katsumi, noticing this, gave an easy grin. "What, is there something on my face?"

Belatedly realizing he had been staring, Tooru gave an awkward laugh. "No, it's just...I've never seen you with your bangs back."

Indeed, the redhead had his bangs pinned to the sides of his face, which seemed to enlarge his green eyes. Katsumi laughed.

"Yeah, it's rare. By the way, Ecchi," he called, and snickered at Eiji's pointed glare. "Are we properly doing our hair?"

"Of course," the captain snorted. "We can't make a bad impression."

"You guys sound like girls," Kyoko said with a giggle. "Do guys really think about that sort of stuff?"

The Princesses glanced at each other, then grinned.

"Not usually, no," Mitsuru admitted, then nearly tripped Kyoko. "Oops, sorry."

"Slow down, Mitsuru. You're moving too quickly," Tsutomu chided. "Kyoko-san can't keep up."

Mitsuru sighed. "Yes, sensei."

Masa, who had been pondering what she was going to do for supper, and what Kaoru was doing, suddenly tripped. She hit the ground hard with a squeak.

"I'm sorry, Masa-_hime_!" Fumio said in horror. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine," Masa said, slowly standing up. She brushed herself off, looking mournfully at her dress, which had a large dusty spot. "I haven't fallen in a while, so I guess I got cocky." She gave a half-smile, which caused Fumio to blush.

"Are you okay, Masa-san?" Miwa inquired, hurrying over.

"Don't worry," the brunette said, giving a Blinding Smile. The other three Princesses instinctively shielded their eyes.

"Been a while since we saw that," Tooru said with a laugh. Yuujiro snickered as he swept by. Akihiko looked like he was on top of the world, his hazel eyes shining.

"This is great," Nori said with a small smile. "We get to occupy all of the _hime_'s time."

"That's true," his twin said, blinking. "I never thought of it that way."

"By the way, why do you call those four _hime_?" Shion asked curiously. "Are they special?"

"I guess," Katsumi said, glancing at Tooru, "it's because they always cheer us on, no matter what. They're part of our school life. We wouldn't have won without them."

"I see," Shion said, pondering this. Akane shot a sidelong glance at Eiji, who avoided her stare.

"Does Akane-san know about the Princess program?" Masa whispered. Fumio shrugged.

"It's quite possible. She's Mitsuru's sister, after all. He probably told her."

"But the other two don't know?"

"Probably not. I don't really know how much people outside of the school know." Fumio stumbled for a moment, but managed to catch himself. "Does Takahashi-san know as well?"

"Yeah, she figured it out," Masa said. _The fact that I'm a girl probably helped,_ she added inwardly with a grimace.

Fumio laughed at her facial expression.

"What?" Masa asked, frowning.

"I've never really seen you outside of the morning meetings and cheering," the forward murmured. "I guess you were some sort of untouchable person. I never really thought you had that sort of expression in you."  
"I guess not," Masa pondered. "We have to keep up appearances, you know."

"Is it hard, being a Princess?" Fumio asked curiously. "It seems to be tiring."

"Some days it is," Masa admitted. "But we just remember how many people are depending on us, and we get through it."

"I see." Fumio was silent as they continued dancing, Masa's steps slowly becoming less faltering. Improvement was quite slow, but Masa was heartened by the fact that she _was_ improving.

At five-thirty, Tsutomu turned off the music. "We'll break for supper, and meet up again at seven. Miwa-chan, what are you girls doing?"

Miwa considered this. "I don't really know," she admitted.

"I know," Eiji boomed, making everyone jump. "I know a great yakiniku restaurant. It's a five-minute walk. My treat," he said with a grin.

The boys and Masa cheered.

"You do love eating, don't you?" Yuujiro said, raising an eyebrow at Masa's enthusiastic response.

"Of course," the brunette shot back. "Besides, I need to eat so I can keep up with this dancing."

Chihiro skipped over to Masa, her arm encircling Masa's waist. "Maa-chan, let's go back to your room," she purred.

"Why?" Masa asked, giving her friend an odd look.

"Don't you want to change?"

"I guess, yeah," Masa said, looking at her dress. "You three changing as well?"

"Of course," Mikoto said instantly.

"Wait a second," Tooru murmured. "They'll figure it out. Are you okay with that?"

Mikoto gave a determined grimace. "I don't care."

Yuujiro's golden eyes unfocused for a moment. "Let's ask Arisada-san," he said, and the four Princesses shivered.

"We need to go and speak with Arisada-san," Tooru said, beaming at the group. "We'll be right back. Where is the restaurant, Eiji-senpai?"

Eiji gave them directions, and Tooru nodded as he committed them to memory. "We'll meet you there at six," he said, sapphire eyes sparkling.

They all nodded. Chihiro still clung to Masa.

"Chihiro-chan, let go," Masa grumbled. "You don't want to meet Arisada-san."

"Why? Is he a delinquent or something?" Chihiro asked, her interest piqued.

Yuujiro and Tooru suddenly clapped a hand over their mouths, holding back laughter picturing Arisada.

"Ignore them," Masa said with a sigh. "They're always like this. Mikoto, are you coming or what?"

Mikoto dragged his feet after the others. "I guess."

"We should grab Kaoru, too," Masa said after a moment. "He's probably starving. He needs a lot of food to keep going."

Yuujiro snickered. "Just like you."

Chihiro raised an eyebrow. "They've seen your eating habits?"

"I've managed to cut back on meals," Masa said with a sigh. "I eat a lot of snacks, though. I'm totally looking forward to pigging out on barbeque." Masa's eyes glittered with resolve.

Chihiro smacked the brunette. "Don't eat too much, or else you'll get fat."

Tooru giggled. "Roly-poly Masa."

"What?" Masa said incredulously. "Tooru, that's not very nice." She suddenly leapt at the blue-haired boy. "Punishment!" She tickled him mercilessly.

"I yield! I yield!" Tooru gasped through his laughter. "Forgive me, Masa-sama!"

Masa gave a suspicious stare. "I suppose, if you promise to buy me lunch tomorrow."

"Anything you want," Tooru said, putting a palm over his heart.

"Forgiven!" Masa skipped ahead, then turned and stuck her tongue out at the four. Yuujiro roared and charged after her. Mikoto sighed and shook his head as he, Tooru, and Chihiro followed after them.

Chihiro was awestruck at the sight of Arisada.

"Masa!" she whispered urgently. "You never told me this!"

"That's why we laughed when you said he was a delinquent," Masa murmured.

"...so we were wondering. Is it okay for people outside of Fujimori to know about the Princess Project?"

"While it's ultimately up to you, it's fine," Arisada said after a moment. "Don't forget, this program has been in place for many years. The director was a Princess, as well. Many people who go on to run corporations were Princesses." He paused, glancing at Chihiro, who blushed furiously.

"What are your thoughts, Takahashi-san? As an outsider?"

"Well, honestly," she said with a hesitant smile, "since I go to Kiba High School, an all-girls school, we have the girls dress up as guys on occasion. So I'm sure we'll understand where you're coming from. Akane-senpai knows, and I'm sure Miwa-senpai guessed it as well."

"I guess we've decided, then," Yuujiro said, glancing at Mikoto, Tooru, and Masa, who all nodded. "We'll deal with anything that comes up."

"If you need anything, don't hesitate to ask," Arisada said with a smile, causing the five to turn away.

"It's like looking into the sun," Mikoto grumbled. Tooru nodded his assent as they went outside, having caught Arisada on his way to supper.

"So you guys are going to change, right? I wanna come. I want to see Maa-chan's room," Chihiro said with a coy glance.

"Whatever," Masa said tiredly. "I feel worn out. Wonder why?"

"Is it your blood pressure?" Yuujiro asked, concerned. "Are you okay?"

"I'll be all right," the brunette said with a half-hearted grin. "I can't wait to get out of this wig. It's been super itchy today."

Chihiro tugged at her friend's wig, which had been in a ponytail. "I can't believe how well-made this is," she said in amazement. "Who does this stuff for you?"

"We've got a designer in our school," Tooru said with a grin. "He loves making outfits for us."

Chihiro's eyes sparkled. "I'd love to see them sometime."

"We have pictures for sale," Yuujiro said with an evil gleam in his eye. "Partial proceeds go towards us."

"Oh? You must make a lot of money on the side," Chihiro said with a pout, but suddenly brightened. "We should go shopping on Showa Day!"

"What? No, we're guys, remember?" Masa said, thumping her friend. "We don't shop."

"Aw," Chihiro said, lapsing into sullen silence. The walk to their rooms was short, though, and Tooru, Mikoto, and Yuujiro disappeared to change.

Masa opened her door and saw Kaoru face-down on the floor.

"Ayafuya," he groaned, words muffled by the carpet. "I'm so hungry! Where were you?"

"At dance practice," Masa reminded him, kicking him lightly in the side. The fluffy-haired teen rolled over, then sat up abruptly.

"Oh, Chihiro-san!" he said with a broad smile. "Haven't seen you in a while."

"Kaa-chan! How have you been? How's Kisaragi treating you?"

"Not that well, otherwise I wouldn't be here," Kaoru said with a wry grin. "Ayafuya and the others have been keeping me busy, though. How's Kiba? Are the girls there as pretty as they say?"

"I'm there, aren't I?" Chihiro said, striking a pose. Masa giggled.

"Kaoru, out," Masa said, shooing her brother outside. "I'm getting changed."

Chihiro sat on Masa's bed, glancing around the room. She spotted the picture on the dresser and examined it curiously.

"You look more and more like your mom," she murmured.

"I know," the brunette groaned. "Unfortunately, I inherited her chest, too. Damn genes."

Chihiro giggled. "You haven't changed much," she said with a smile.

"Why would I?"

"You're surrounded by _boys_," Chihiro said with a patient expression. "Ever thought what would happen if they learned you're a girl?"

"All the time," Masa said with a grimace. "It's a constant battle."

"What do you do about that time of the month?"

"Grin and bear it."

"Does the school doctor know?"

"Yeah, he knew my dad. And my mom."  
"That...explains more than it should."  
"That's what I said." Masa giggled, then suddenly got serious. "Yuujiro knows, though."

"What?"

"Yuujiro. He knows I'm a girl."

"Ah, that explains a lot." Chihiro put a finger on her lips, pondering. "He seems like an interesting guy."

"They all are, actually," Masa admitted. "I don't know what I would do if I hadn't become a Princess."

"You'd be poor, for one thing."

"No more lunch." Masa looked quite despondent at the thought, then perked up as she threw on a t-shirt and some jeans. Carefully hanging up the dress in her closet, she put the wig on her dresser as she attempted to tame her hair.

Chihiro tsk'd. "Still haven't managed to get the hang of this? Here, let me."

Masa obediently sat in front of her friend, sitting cross-legged as Chihiro ran a comb through her hair.

"Just like old times," Masa said with a grin, closing her eyes.

"Yep."

The two were silent for a long moment, the only sound the _swish, swish_ of the comb.

"There, done."

Masa glanced at herself in the mirror, her eyes wide. "Holy. You have the hands of a goddess. I should call you Kami-sama."

"I've been thinking about attending beauty school after Kiba High School," Chihiro said thoughtfully. "Shouldn't we be leaving?"

"Ah, you're right," Masa yelped, leaping up. "Kaoru! Yuujiro! Tooru! Mikoto! Let's get our asses in gear, shall we?" She opened the door with a flourish, only to see the four of them waiting impatiently outside of her door.

"Takahashi-san seemed to keep you longer than usual," Mikoto said with a grin.

"Shut up, Mikoto," Masa grumbled, glaring at the redhead. "At least I don't have to lie to her."

"Masa! That's...I..." Mikoto pouted, looking at the others for support. They all looked away.

"I hate all of you," he mumbled as they left the dorm.

They met up with the soccer team and the Kiba girls at the yakiniku restaurant, energized by the conversation and general atmosphere.

The girls were slightly shocked when they realized Tooru, Mikoto, and Yuujiro, and Masa were boys, but readily accepted it.

"I kind of thought something was a bit off," Shion said with a giggle. "I thought I saw Yutaka-san's hair slip."

"Tanaka-san, you lied to me," Akane said with a raised eyebrow.

"Not really," Eiji protested. "They certainly keep our spirits up."

"It's true," Fumio and Nori chimed. "Without them, we'd be sad." They made pouting faces, causing everyone to laugh.

"We appreciate everything they do," Katsumi said with a smile. "They're the jewels of Fujimori."

Tooru glanced at the red-haired senpai, but didn't comment.

"What do you want to do, Inoue-san? What made you pick Fujimori?" Kyoko absently re-adjusted her hair pins, cocking her head to the side.

"It's the best school in the area," Masa admitted. "I figured it would be great if I could manage to get in. What about you, Ichihara-san?"

"I'm just a first-year," she said with a sigh. "Chihiro-san roped me into this."

Akane laughed. "Miwa convinced Shion and I. We're second years, by the way."

"This is Icchi, Ecchi, and my last year," Katsumi said sadly. "Although we'll have fond memories."

"And lots of memorabilia," Mitsuru said with a grin.

The three third-years looked with shock at him, Eiji lunging to thwack the small boy. Mitsuru laughed and ducked out of the way.

Mikoto sighed as he watched the boys get rowdy. Kaoru, sitting beside him, edged a bit closer, straining to be heard over the sudden din.

"So, Mikoto-san, how did the dance lessons go?" Kaoru's brown eyes were curious as he ate.

"It went well, I think," Mikoto said hesitantly. "It doesn't look hard, but it is." He looked at his food despondently. "I hate the thought of cross-dressing in front of so many people, though."

"Don't worry, I'm sure it'll be fine," Kaoru said reassuringly.

"Yeah, Mikoto, we'll be there with you," Tooru said with a grin, petting Mikoto's hair. "You're not alone."

"I guess."

Masa sighed as the noise died down, smiling contently.

"You look pleased," Yuujiro said with a laugh.

"Best. Meal. Ever." The brunette suddenly yawned, the events of the day catching up with her.

Chihiro glanced at her watch. "We should head back, Miwa-senpai," she said, and the group reluctantly left the restaurant, leaving Eiji to settle the bill, despite the team's protests.

Practice continued until ten o'clock, and the Kiba girls had to catch the train. "We'll walk you to the station," Eiji stated, motioning for Iwao, Katsumi, and Tsutomu to come with him.

"Of course," Iwao said with a grin. "I'd never think of letting ladies go alone at night."

"We'll see you tomorrow, _Himes_," Katsumi murmured, massaging his neck. "Have a good rest."

"Good night, everyone," Yuujiro said with a Blinding Smile. Masa could have sworn it lit up the darkened avenue.

"Let me know about Showa Day," Chihiro reminded Masa. "I'll bother you until you come."

Masa grimaced. "Yeah, I know you will," she grumbled. "I'll think about it."

"If Kaoru is still here, he can come too," Chihiro chirped, amber eyes glinting mischievously.

"By the way, what will we be wearing?" Tooru asked suddenly.

They all stopped and pondered.

"I don't know," Masa said slowly. "Does Natasho-senpai have something done up for us, I wonder?"

"We should ask tomorrow," Yuujiro said, concealing a yawn. "What about you ladies?"

"We have a variety of gowns available to us," Akane said with her own brilliant smile. "How about you come over tomorrow before practice? We can get you fitted and do a proper rehearsal."

Miwa nodded, a satisfied expression crossing her face. "That is an excellent idea. It's one thing to dance in dresses and skirts, but it's another thing entirely to dance in a proper gown."

Masa looked horrified. "I can barely handle it in our usual dress," she said with wide eyes.

"You'll be fine, Masa-_hime_," Fumio said with a smile. "We'll practice until you have it down pat."

"Thanks, Fumio-san," Masa said, slightly reassured. Kaoru glanced at his sister, wondering how bad she actually was.

As if sensing his thought, Masa suddenly turned and chopped her brother. Yelping, Kaoru clutched his head. "What was that for, Aniki?"

"You were thinking something disparaging," the brunette said loftily. Chihiro giggled.

"You two really never change, do you? Good night, and see you tomorrow." They waved and headed out, leaving the Princesses and Kaoru to stumble tiredly back to their rooms.

"Ayafuya, what are you going to do tomorrow?" Kaoru inquired, yawning as he flopped onto the bed.

"About what?" Masa glanced at her fluffy-haired brother in the mirror.

"The fitting. Think about it."

Masa paled. "Shit."

"Yeah."

"Maybe Chihiro can fit me."

"Maybe. But those senpai looked mighty interested in you."

"Ugh. I'll worry about it tomorrow," Masa said with a determined stare. Going into the washroom, she changed into her pyjamas, splashing her face with water.

"I'll figure it out," she repeated, exiting. Kaoru was already fast asleep. "God, you're so carefree," she muttered, poking him in the cheek.

"'ve me alone," he grumbled, rolling over. Masa grinned tiredly as she collapsed into her own bed, dreams filled with dance steps and trepidation...


	11. Part Ten: Blue Roses in Winter

_(Author's note: Bancho=boss, usually leader of delinquents. If anyone knows how to double space, please, **please** send me a PM so I can fix all of these . On an additional note, I now have a Twitter account so you can watch me procrastinate. It's at /_Tejina__ _.)_

Part Ten: Blue Roses in Winter

A rose must remain with the sun and the rain or its lovely promise won't come true. -Ray Evans

Masa stumbled out of bed after an uneasy sleep. Rubbing her eyes tiredly, she considered skipping class, but realized that would require a lot of explaining, which she didn't have the energy to do. Sighing gustily, she changed into her uniform, her thoughts far away. She grabbed her wig, placing it carefully into her bag, but eyed her dress.

"What am I going to do about the fitting?" she mumbled, careful not to wake her brother. Poking her head out of her door, she spotted Tooru and Mikoto, but Yuujiro wasn't in sight.

"Where'd he go?" Masa inquired, running a hand through her hair. "It's not like him to skip out."

"Dunno," Tooru said with a nonchalant shrug. "He was gone when I woke up."

The door opened abruptly, and Yuujiro appeared in the doorway. "What are you guys doing?" he asked, raising an eyebrow. "We have a morning meeting today, remember? The Director is going to announce that the soccer team is moving on, and Eiji-senpai's award."

Masa thumped her head. "Damn, I forgot. What am I going to do about my dress?"

"We can stop by the home ec. room on our way," Tooru said with a smile. "After breakfast."

Masa exhaled in relief.

"I still can't get over how much you love to eat," Yuujiro said dryly, golden eyes curious. "How are you not fat?"

"I have a weak constitution," Masa said, holding a hand to her head dramatically. Yuujiro just snorted, motioning the three out of the room.

On the way to the dining hall, Tooru glanced at Masa.

"So, what are your thoughts on Takahashi-san's suggestion?"

"Hmm?" Masa stared blankly at the blue-haired boy.

"About us all hanging out on Showa Day."

"Oh. That. Well, I'll be bullied into going with her, but you guys don't have to come."

"We will," Yuujiro said determinedly. "We're not going to let that tart have Masa all to herself."

Mikoto looked quite distraught. "But...Megumi-san..."

"You're coming, too," Yuujiro chided. "How often do we hang out outside of school? What if we want to get to know you better?"

Mikoto gave Masa a pleading look, but the brunette simply whistled and skipped ahead.

"Masa! Don't leave me alone with him," Mikoto called, seeing Tooru run with her.

"Showa Day is on Saturday, right?" Masa said, shading her eyes from the rising sun. "Are you sure you want to spend it with me? Don't you want to go home for the weekend?"

"Nah," Tooru said with a shrug. "My family...lives a ways away."

"Oh. Well then, I'll try to ensure that it's an excellent day."

Tooru grinned. "I expect nothing less."

* * *

After a quick breakfast and greeting the dorm students, the Princesses went to the home ec. room to apply their makeup and change.

"Maybe there's a spare dress in the closet," Masa said ponderously. "Do any of you guys know?"

"Never looked in there," Tooru said, shaking his head.

"Don't want to know," Mikoto piped up instantly.

Masa shrugged and opened the closet doors, surprised to see all of their previous dresses they had worn. Sorting through them, she spotted black and white lace.

"Aha!" the brunette said triumphantly, producing the dress. "Oh." Her face fell. It was a bit different from the normal dresses, in that the bodice and skirt were white, and the belt, sleeves, and headband were black. "What do you guys think? Is it okay if I'm a bit different today?"

Yuujiro glanced at Masa through the mirror as he applied concealer. "Will it fit you?"

"Only one way to find out." Masa shucked her clothing, quickly slipping into the gothic-style dress. "Tooru, can you help me with the belt?"

"Sure thing." Tooru adjusted his wig, then aided the petite brunette. "You still have that wrap on?"

"Yeah," Masa said with a small smile. "Still self-conscious."  
"Really? After everything we go through?" Mikoto said, surprised. "Why?"

"It's quite a lengthy scar," Masa said, shrugging. "Besides, who would want a disfigured Princess?" She made a face, making the three snicker.

"Fair enough," Yuujiro laughed. "Anyway, hurry up. I'm going ahead." Yuujiro disappeared, golden hair shining.

"Why is he so energetic?" Masa wondered aloud. Tooru watched him go with a serious gaze.

"I wonder." Tooru suddenly turned and seized Mikoto, who had been trying to sneak out behind the blonde. "None of that, Mikoto. Come on, let's get your face made up."

"No!" the redhead wailed. "Damn it, I hate this!"

Masa pulled on the boots, then pulled her wig out of her bag. Adjusting it, she itched under the long strands for a moment, then quickly tied it into two braids.

"Since when have you learned to braid?" Mikoto said, his grumblings dying off. "I've never done it."  
"I braided Chihiro-chan's hair through middle school," Masa said as explanation, deeming the twin braids even. "My dad showed me how."

"Your dad sounds like an interesting guy," Tooru said, raising an eyebrow. Masa laughed and just shook her head.

"You don't know the half of it," she said wryly. "You all ready?"

"Yep." Tooru flipped his long hair over his shoulder, glancing at Mikoto. The redhead was staring sullenly at his feet.

"Come on, smile," Masa said, pulling at the redhead's cheeks. "We've told you, you won't be picked on as much."

"It's true," Tooru said wisely. "Being reluctant or embarrassed gets you more points than being an exhibitionist."

"It brings out the lust for conquest," Masa added with a giggle. In an undertone, she added "I didn't know you read manga, Tooru."

"I have many secrets," the blue-haired boy said with an evil grin.

Masa shook her head in disbelief as the three exited the room, waving and smiling to the students as they prepared themselves mentally for standing on the auditorium stage.

* * *

"Good morning, everyone," Yuujiro called, waving with gusto. "How are you all today?"

A deafening roar met this question.

"Good, good," Tooru said with a Blinding Smile. "We hope you all have a fulfilling day, and remember about the fashion show!"

"Buy lots of my stuff, okay?" Masa said, smiling cutely. "And Mikoto's too. He's depressed because he's fallen behind."

"Don't worry, Mikoto-_hime_!" a voice called from the crowd. "1-B is rooting for you!"

"T-thank you," Mikoto said, averting his eyes. A blush creeped up his face. The crowd sighed happily.

"With that being said, the Director has some words," Masa said, bowing. She, Yuujiro, and Tooru gave Blinding Smiles as they sat, Mikoto giving a half-hearted smile.

"Good day, everyone. I wanted to let you all know that a member of Fujimori's soccer team, the Falcons, has won the prestigious award of national MVP! Eiji Tanaka-san and the other members of the team will be attending a banquet tonight for him to accept his award."

The crowd cheered.

"Of course, our Princesses will be attending as well," the Director added. There were some good-natured boos, and Tooru giggled.

"Apparently Eiji-senpai is a popular guy," Masa murmured. Mikoto nodded.

"He's a nice guy, but a bit enthusastic sometimes." Mikoto grimaced. "His handshake almost took my arm off."  
Masa snickered at that, then remembered her own encounter with the captain. "I agree. For his size, though, he's quite graceful." Memories of him dancing crept into her mind, and she suddenly sighed.

"Don't you know that sighing lets happiness escape?" Yuujiro asked, raising an eyebrow. "I'll steal it if you don't want it."

"I need all the happiness and luck I can get," Masa shot back. "I'm still having problems with dancing."

Tooru pondered this for a moment. "I may have a solution," he whispered into the brunette's ear, making her shiver.

The Director finished up his speech, and the Princesses exited the gym.

"We need to head to Kiba High School now, right?" Masa asked, looking at Tooru. "To get the dresses and practice."

"Yep." Tooru glanced at his watch. "We may as well stay in this."

Mikoto paled. "Go...outside? On the train? In _this_?" he shrieked.

"Mikoto," Yuujiro began in a menacing tone. The redhead squeaked and backed up falteringly."If you don't come...we won't be your friends anymore."

"Yuujiro!"

"I'm serious. We'll ignore you in the hallways and leave you to the students to do what they like."

Mikoto's ruby eyes welled up with tears. "You wouldn't, would you?"

Yuujiro simply stared at Mikoto, who sniffled.

"I hate you!" Mikoto turned and dashed out of the room, leaving the other three to watch him go.

"Are we really going to go like this?" Tooru inquired, twirling.

"No. Imagine the train ride." Yuujiro shivered. "We get enough attention as guys."

"Poor Mikoto. He probably went back to our room, though." Masa trotted after the redhead, only to feel a tug on the sleeve of her dress.

"Wrong way," Tooru and Yuujiro chimed. Masa groaned and followed them, grumbling under her breath.

* * *

Back in the P-Room, Kaoru was sitting on the floor, stretching, his headphones on the ground beside him. He shot the three Princesses a dirty look.

"I hope your face gets stuck like that," Masa said, sticking her tongue out.

"What did you say to Mikoto-san?" the fluffy-haired teen demanded. "He was really upset!"

"We were planning to go to Kiba in these," Tooru said, swishing his skirt, "but changed our mind."

"Oh, the banquet is tonight, right?" Kaoru inquired, raising an eyebrow. "Is Mikoto-san okay with dressing up?"

"He'll get over it," Yuujiro said with a shrug. "If not, we'll make him."

Kaoru shook his head in amazement. "Is the banquet open to the public?"

"Why, do you want free food?" Masa said, giggling.

"_Baka_."

Tooru sidled up to the teen. "I have some extra tickets if you want to come."

"How'd you get those?" Masa demanded, pouting.

"Katsumi-senpai had some left over, so he gave them to me," Tooru said, blue eyes shining. "I'm going to give one to Sakamoto-sama, but you're free to come as well."

"Is it fancy attire?" Kaoru inquired curiously.

"Yeah." Tooru removed his wig, ruffling his hair.

"I didn't bring my tuxedo," Kaoru said wryly.

"I'm sure Natasho-senpai has something," Yuujiro said, eyeing the teen up.

"Or Chihiro," Masa said with a wicked smile.

Kaoru laughed, then abruptly stopped. "How about...no."

"Damn, I thought for sure we'd get you." Masa pouted as she went into her room. Kaoru adjusted his position to cross-legged, staring at Tooru and Yuujiro.

"...are you going to tell him?" Kaoru asked, eyeing the two suspiciously.

"Nah, you can, though," Yuujiro said cheerfully as the two disappeared into their room. Sighing, Kaoru rapped on Mikoto's door. "Mikoto-san?" he called cautiously.

"K-Kaoru-kun," Mikoto said, his words muffled from behind the door. "What do you want?"

"Um, the other three said they were kidding about dressing as girls on the train," Kaoru said quietly. The door suddenly opened, almost causing the teen to fall into the room.

"Really?" Mikoto asked, and Kaoru simply stared. Mikoto's ruby eyes were welling with tears, his long, crimson curls flashing in the light.

Kaoru was silent for a moment as he processed this, then shook himself out of his stupor. "Yeah. You have to leave soon, right?" he inquired, rubbing a hand over his face. "Do you want me to come with you?"

"No way!" Mikoto said, eyes widening. A blush creeped up the redhead's face. "It's bad enough you have to see me like this!"

"I see," Kaoru said, slightly disheartened. "Good luck at dance practice." He inwardly pondered his reaction to Mikoto's words, then shrugged it off.

"Thanks, Kaoru-kun," Mikoto murmured, flashing a grin at the fluffy-haired teen. Kaoru blinked and smiled back, redness flushing his cheeks. Mikoto closed the door, and Kaoru heard shuffling as he sat against the wall, wondering where he was going to find proper attire.

* * *

Tooru and Yuujiro were the first out of their room, looking impeccable as always. Masa came out next, struggling to do the buttons on her uniform. Mikoto was last, glaring at the three other Princesses.

"I hate you all," the redhead grumbled.

"Kaoru, are you coming with us to Kiba?" Masa asked, grinning.

"Nope. I know that look, Ayafuya," Kaoru said easily. "It means trouble."

"Aw. You know me so well," the small brunette said with a pout. Tooru mussed her hair, leading to Masa shooting him a dirty look.

"Shall we be on our way, then?" Yuujiro said with a bored expression, glancing at his watch. "We'll want to hurry if we want to get some practice in."

"See you later, Kaoru-kun," Mikoto called as he went out the door, rubbing his eyes. Masa and Yuujiro followed, but Tooru hung back for a moment.

"Yes, Tooru-san?" Kaoru inquired, brown eyes curious.

"Here, I'll give you these," the sapphire-eyed boy said with a smile. "Give one to Sakamoto-sama, okay?" He handed Kaoru two tickets, and the teen gratefully accepted them.

"Thanks, Tooru-san."

"No problem. I figured you'd want to see us all properly dressed up. You're still a bit confused about all of this, aren't you?"

Kaoru was slightly taken aback at Tooru's observational skills. "A little, yeah."

"Come to the banquet, then. If only to support Eiji-san."

"But..."

"Ah. You'll have to visit the Student Council room to find Sakamoto-sama, so ask Arisada-san about something to wear."

Kaoru sighed. "Okay. Thanks again, Tooru-san."

"See you tonight!" The blue-haired boy blew Kaoru a kiss as he went out the door, leaving the dark-haired teen to wonder what _else_ Tooru had noticed.

* * *

Kaoru sat for a moment longer, going over what he was going to say in his head.

"I have a feeling this is going to end badly for me," he grumbled, running a hand through his fluffy hair. Suddenly jumping up, he pumped his fist. "No matter! I'll get through it somehow!"

On his way out the door, Kaoru stopped and closed his eyes, trying to visualize the Fujimori school, but failed entirely.

"Damn it all," he muttered, locking the door behind him. "I'll just have to manage."

Unfortunately, this led to him getting absolutely, irrevocably lost. After turning for what seemed like the thousandth time, he found himself in the eastern wing, finally recognizing Mikoto's classroom.

Najako-sensei exited the room, staring absently at the ceiling. Kaoru quickly moved out of the way of the teacher, who suddenly realized that the teen was there.

"Oh, Inoue-kun," he said, not startled in the least. "Mikoto-chan is absent today." He blinked at the teen, his brown eyes curious. "Can I help you with something?"

"I, uh," Kaoru stammered, not wanting to admit he was lost.

As if sensing his discomfort, the teacher gave a lazy grin. "I need to go and talk with the Director, want to keep me company?"

Kaoru briefly tried to remember where the Student Council room was in regards to the Director's office. He thought it was close by, so he nodded, staring at his feet.

"Good." The two began to walk, and Nakajo-sensei was silent. Kaoru, however, was unable to stand it.

"So, Nakajo-sensei," he burst out, making the teacher twitch. "Is Mikoto-san always like that?"

"Like what?" the teacher asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Unwilling, I guess," Kaoru said after a moment, unsure of why he asked _that_ question.

Nakajo pursed his lips, thinking. "I'm not too sure. Although he _did_ agree to become a Princess. It's not forced on any of them; they're given a clear outline of their duties and what is expected of them, and the perks as well."

"I...see," Kaoru murmured.

"Though he seems a lot more...lively now." Nakajo glanced at Kaoru. "I wonder why?"

Kaoru looked at the teacher with his big brown eyes, and the teacher looked away.

"Never mind," he mumbled, chuckling.

"Has the Princess thing always been in this school? Why?" Kaoru asked in bewilderment.

"Well, it helps keep student morale up-you saw the results of that at the soccer game, didn't you?" Nakajo said easily. Kaoru jumped and glanced at the teacher out of the corner of his eyes. "It also helps the students adapt more easily to male-female interactions. They don't always fawn over the Princesses, you know."

Kaoru found that hard to believe. As if sensing his derision, the teacher laughed.

"It's true. Our boys are able to speak with girls more easily, I've found, probably because the Princesses are all so different. As to your first question, Inoue-kun, as long as I've been here there have been Princesses." Nakajo paused, counting under his breath. "It's been a long time, that's for sure."

"But...what sort of extra curricular activity is that?" Kaoru wondered, frowning in confusion. "How would that look to a university?"

"Oh. Well, we obviously don't list it as "Princess"," the teacher said, chuckling. "I believe we call it the 'Student Morale Committee'."

"Oh. That makes...more sense," Kaoru admitted. "What do Princesses go on to do?"

"Whatever they want," Nakajo said sharply. "Just because they dressed up in high school doesn't mean their futures are limited. Actually, the current Director was a Princess, as well."

Kaoru stared at the teacher in astonishment. "Really?"

"Yes. That's why he's all for it."

Kaoru looked at the floor as he tried to process this. "I wonder why Mikoto-san agreed to it," he said softly. "I can't imagine why he would want to, especially if he's that adamant about it."

"Maybe it's because of his girlfriend?" Nakajo asked, stopping. "He's dating an older girl, last I heard."

"That's right," Kaoru said, a little glumly.

"But you can always ask him, right?" The teacher turned, glancing at the teen, who was running a hand through his poofy mane of hair.

"Well, Inoue-kun, I hope I helped you," Nakajo said with a smile. "The Student Council room is down the hall on the left." He gestured, and Kaoru twitched.

"How did you know?" Kaoru asked, and the teacher grinned.

"You're a lot like Mikoto-chan," he said mysteriously, and entered the Director's office. Kaoru continued down the hall, standing in front of the door to the Student Council for long moments, debating on what he was going to say, or do, or what they were going to make _him_ do.

A hand on his shoulder nearly scared the teen witless. He instinctively rolled sideways, crouching, ready for anything.

Akira's bemused green gaze met Kaoru's panicked brown eyes, and the two burst out laughing.

"Inoue-san," the class rep said after catching his breath. "What _are_ you doing?"

"I, uh," Kaoru said, gasping, his adrenaline levels slowly returning to normal. "I was trying to find you, actually." Kaoru fished around in the pocket of his jeans, eventually retrieving the banquet ticket. "Here, this is from Tooru-san," he said, holding it out.

"Oh, this is for Tanaka-senpai's award, isn't it?" the green-haired boy said, smiling brightly. "Thank you, Inoue-san."

"Do you guys all have formal attire on hand at all times?" Kaoru asked, figuring now would be the best time to ask.

"Well, I do, but that's because as Arisada-sama occasionally brings me to formal events. Are you coming to the banquet, Inoue-san?"

"I think so, but...I didn't really bring anything fancy." Kaoru stared at the floor for a moment. "I mean, I'm only here for a week, so I didn't expect anything like this."

Akira tilted his head, thinking. "I'll see what I can do," he said, smiling. Kaoru was tempted to cover his eyes at the pure smile, completely different from his sister's grin.

"Thank you, Sakamoto-sama," Kaoru said gratefully. "I was a little afraid that Arisada-san was going to make me do something weird in return for lending me something."

"I resent that, Kaoru-kun," Arisada boomed, opening the door. "However, he has a point. We can't do things for free, Akira-kun." The president gently thumped the first-year on the head, and Akira cringed but smiled.

"Too late to do anything now, though," Kaoru said hopefully. Arisada sighed gustily, turning his brilliant gaze upon the teen. This time, Kaoru _did _shield his eyes, if only to avoid being sucked into the president's gaze.

"I suppose you _did_ do quite well at the soccer game, despite the setbacks you happened to incur." Arisada pondered this for a moment. "Very well. Wataru. Find Kaoru-kun something to wear, please."

"As you wish." The treasurer, who had been standing behind Arisada, handed Kaoru a box. Kaoru peeked inside, startled.

Inside was a complete black tie ensemble, including a tuxedo jacket, pants, a white silk shirt, and a tie. Kaoru stared at the box in astonishment, finally regaining his sense of speech.

"How did you know?" he asked, eyes wide.

"We have our ways," Arisada said mysteriously, breezing past the teen. "Sakamoto-sama, you have the day off, since we're preparing for the banquet as well."

"Yes, sir," Akira said, bowing as the Student Council left. Kaoru clutched the box tightly, wondering how on earth the green-haired boy kept up with them.

As if sensing his thoughts, Akira turned and smiled at Kaoru, then shrugged sheepishly. "Well, Inoue-san, I should go back to class. Can I help you with anything before you leave?"

"No, I'll be okay, I think," Kaoru mumbled, bowing. "Thank you for your help."

"Anytime." Akira's eyes sparkled like emeralds, and Kaoru wondered why there were so many _pretty _boys in this school...

* * *

_Kchunk, kchunk..._

Masa dozed, the rhythmic sound of the train's wheels soothing her while the petite brunette considered her options. There weren't many, however; she simply had to trust in her ability to go with the flow.

"Sweetling..."

Masa twitched violently, eyes snapping open from a nap she hadn't intended on having.

"Why is the world sideways?" she mumbled, before realizing she was leaning on Yuujiro's shoulder. Blushing, Masa sat up and rubbed her eyes quickly. Yuujiro was staring at her, golden eyes thoughtful.

"What?" Masa demanded, stretching her neck.

"You snore," Yuujiro said with a small smile. "And grind your teeth."

"I do not!" Masa said, shocked. "How dare you insinuate that I have such poor sleeping habits?"

"_You_ were the one who fell asleep on my shoulder," the blonde reminded her, grinning.

"Why did you say 'sweetling'?" Masa suddenly asked, remembering her dream.

Yuujiro looked at her in confusion.

"We were discussing Mikoto's current infatuation with sweet and sour pork dumplings," Tooru volunteered. "We were _trying_ to be quiet so we wouldn't wake you up."

"How considerate," Masa said dryly, then smiled. "Thanks."

Tooru gave the brunette a suspicious look. "Are you still asleep?"

Masa grinned. "I am fully conscious, thanks to Yuujiro's soft and delicate shoulder. It was like sleeping on lilies."

Yuujiro stared suspiciously at Masa, unsure of what to make of that comment. "Anyway, I believe the plan was to arrive at Kiba around 9am, then we were going to be fitted. Makeup and hair will have a test run, then dance practice until 4pm. The banquet starts at 6pm, in which Eiji-san will receive his award and we'll eat. We'll know where we sit when we get there." Yuujiro paused, massaging his temples. "I believe the third years will be sitting at the head table, along with Nakajo-sensei. That's Eiji-san, Iwao-san, and Katsumi-san. The others will be close to it."

Masa stared with amazement at the blonde. "How do you know all of this?"

"_One_ of us needs to be prepared," he grumbled. "I've been discussing this with Arisada-san and Nakajo-sensei for days."

"And you didn't let us know all of this, why?" Tooru inquired, raising an eyebrow.

"I figured by this point we'd know how to dance"-a pointed glance at Masa, who sighed-"and it would be a simple matter of sitting down and eating."

Tooru shrugged. "At least we know how to eat in public, right?"

Mikoto was sitting in sullen silence beside Tooru, arms crossed. "I like how that's the only problem you have," the redhead grumbled. "It's not 'why are we going to a girl's school to get fitted?' or 'why are we dressing up at a banquet?'. I love your sense of priorities."

Masa glanced at Mikoto in concern. "Are you really that concerned?"

"Of course!" Mikoto shrieked, then clapped a hand over his mouth. The people around him had given him odd looks. "You all accept this way too easily! They're _girls_! And they're going to be..." He trailed off, ruby eyes tearing up.

"Oh, Miko-chan," Yuujiro murmured. "You don't want them to see?"

"Of course not!" Mikoto's cheeks flushed.

Masa pondered this. "I can see why."

Yuujiro's golden eyes looked suspiciously at Masa. Tooru, noticing the look, stared suspiciously at the blonde. Masa started giggling.

"What's so funny?" Mikoto demanded.

"It's a chain of suspicion," she said between laughs. "This is the stupidest thing I've ever seen."

"Not as stupid as that face you make," Tooru said with a grin.

Masa stuck her tongue out at the blue-haired boy, swatting him. Tooru chuckled, sapphire eyes sparkling with mischief.

The brunette sighed, whipping out her cell phone to check the time. She was startled to see a text from Chihiro.

+Chihiro+

So what's the plan? BTW, what do u do about changing?

After a surrepitious glance at the other Princesses, Masa quickly typed her response.

+Masa+

My scar covers most of it

+Chihiro+

And undies?

+Masa+

OMG really?

+Chihiro+

Srsly

+Masa+

U suck.

+Chihiro+

Stop avoiding it, i gotta know so i can try to help u out

+Masa+

Boxers obv

+Chihiro+

Then how'd blondie find out?

+Masa+

That was like my second day so i didn't know what to expect

+Chihiro+

I c i c. When r u gettin here?

+Masa+

About fifteen minutes.

Yuujiro glanced over Masa's shoulder, leading to the brunette hurriedly closing her phone.

"The plot thickens," he murmured in her ear. Masa shivered and scrunched her shoulders.

"Stop that," she grumbled. "I have enough to worry about without you whispering sweet nothings in my pure ears."

Tooru snickered. Yuujiro rolled his golden eyes and settled back in his seat.

* * *

Far too quickly, the train pulled up at the station. The four Princesses exited, blinking in the morning sunlight.

Almost immediately three guys walked up to them, giving sly smiles. They all had dyed blonde hair, and were wearing dark clothing. The tallest one walked in front, while a pudgy person followed immediately behind. A guy with mean brown eyes walked two paces behind, looking bored. His brown roots were showing through his spiked hair.

"Delinquents," Masa said with a small sigh.

"Hey there," the tallest one said. "You chicks skipped school? Why not come hang out with us? We know some good spots."

"Aren't you guys hot in those jackets?" Yuujiro inquired, fanning himself.

"Isn't it customary to introduce yourself before hitting on people?" Tooru demanded.

"You chicks got spunk!" the tall one laughed. The other two laughed along, and Masa determined that he was the leader. "I'm Atsushi. This is Dai"-he gestured to the smaller, chubbier one-"and this is Kenta."

`The one with mean eyes gave a half-hearted wave.

"So, where're you girls from? Not Kiba, otherwise you wouldda come from that way." Atsushi gestured north. "C'mon, let's go to the arcade, and get to know each other better."

He reached out and grabbed Masa's arm.

"Bad choice," Yuujiro said, swishing his golden hair and grinning.

"_Extremely_ bad choice," Tooru said, sapphire eyes widening.

Mikoto simply covered his eyes.

Masa gave the three delinquents an angelic smile, but her eyes flashed frosty as the temperature suddenly dropped ten degrees.

Atsushi's eyes widened, but by then it was far too late. Masa's grin turned demonic, and Yuujiro winced as the beatdown commenced. Masa grabbed the tall boy's arm, and with a twist he was on his back, face pale as the breath left his body in a hurry.

"Now ya done it," Kenta grumbled, still hanging back. His hands were in his pocket, and he slouched as if tired of the fight.

Dai charged at Masa, swinging his fists wildly. The brunette easily nullified his punches, laughing. Tooru watched with rapt fascination.

"I've never seen her like this," the blue-haired boy said in awe.

"Come on, where did you learn to fight?" Masa taunted, circling around the pudgy boy. "Those aren't punches, they're smacks!"

She let him run at her twice before sweeping Dai's legs out from under him with a well-timed kick, then clocked him. Dai tumbled to the ground, groaning.

Kenta eyed Masa warily. "Yer obviously trained." He glanced at the three Princesses, who had backed away. "And not girls." He gave the brunette an odd look. "Odd company ya keep," he murmured as he sidestepped Masa's lunge, hands still in his pockets. "Not bad...for a girl."

Masa gave him a grin, teeth flashing. "Say anything and I'll break that pretty jaw," she said sweetly in an undertone.

"I'd like ta see ya try," Kenta said, returning the smile with the same amount of hidden ferocity. Yuujiro, Mikoto, and Tooru shivered as they sensed the tension in the air.

"I was wonderin' why ya were carryin' yerself like a guy," Kenta said thoughtfully, still dodging Masa's attacks with ease.

"Having some trouble, Masa?" Tooru called, raising an eyebrow.

"Nope, got it under control," the brunette said cheerfully. She quickly touched her toes, right leg snapping up and catching the recovered Atsushi on the chin. The tall guy fell heavily as Kenta stepped in, and, in a fluid motion, tossed Masa with ease.

Yuujiro made a strangled noise as Masa flew into the air, but the brunette managed to soften the blow by twisting mid-air and turning it into a clumsy tumble. Leaping to her feet, she shook her head to clear the dizziness as she readied herself for the next attack.

No matter how Masa tried to get ahold of Kenta, the spikey-haired blonde easily avoided her attacks, occasionally tripping her up or flipping her. Masa always managed to recover, but she was getting tired. She paused, catching her breath, her hazel eyes dancing with delight.

"Only one guy could dodge me like that," she said with a grin. "Kenta Yoshimoto." She bobbed excitedly.

"Maybe," Kenta said with a smile. "I'd know that tumbling anywhere. Masa Inoue, right?"

Atsushi had regained his sense and sat up, rubbing his jaw. Dai got to his feet, having recovered his breath. Yuujiro, Tooru, and Mikoto stared with confusion at the two.

"Masa?" Yuujiro inquired, his voice deadly calm. "Mind informing us about what's going on?"

Masa gave Kenta a look that told him to keep quiet, then turned to her friends.

"We were neighbours, and I went to his dad's dojo to train." Her hazel eyes glanced at Kenta with admiration. "But then we moved away. My goal was to beat him. Still is," she said wistfully. "Haven't practiced in a while."

"I could see yer throws were lackin'," Kenta said with a sigh. "It's been awhile. Nice ta meetcha," he said, extending a hand towards the three Princesses, who shook it with suspicion.

Kenta stepped back and gave Masa a once-over.

"I s'pose yer boyish mannerisms allow ya to hang out with them?" he inquired quietly, nodding towards the three boys. "And why are ya trottin' around with such...glittery guys?"

Masa snickered at the phrase, but covered it with a cough. "Why are _you_ not in school?" she shot back, hands on her hips. "We're going to Kiba."

Kenta shrugged. "Got bored. Usually I keep 'im"-he nodded at Atsushi, who was looking suspiciously at Masa-"out of trouble."

"Apparently Atsushi's not the leader," Yuujiro whispered to Mikoto, who nodded wisely.

"Sorry about that," Kenta said after a moment of pondering. He thumped Atsushi on the head. "I figured ya fer guys, anyway."

Dai and Atsushi stared at him in shock.

"Bancho, why didn't you tell us?" Atsushi demanded, rubbing his head.

"...Bancho?" Masa said, giggling. "Are you really the boss?"

"It was more fun that way," Kenta said to Atsushi. Turning to Masa, he sighed. "They're not enrolled at the dojo, but they saw me wailin' on some punks and decided they were going to follow me."

"Does your dad know about your hair?" Masa asked curiously.

Kenta ran a hand through his spikey locks. "Nope. Besides, it washes out after one use, anyway. I just decided to try it."

Tooru sighed and stepped forward. "As much as I hate to break this up, we need to get going," the blue-haired boy said, checking his watch.

"Alright." Kenta pulled a paper out of his pocket, quickly scribbling on it. He handed it to Masa with a smile. "Here ya go. I expect to be hearin' of yer progress in judo. Stop by every once in a while, okay?"

"For sure, Kenta nii-chan." Masa waved as they trotted down the street, leaving Kenta and his followers to watch them leave.

* * *

The four Princesses trotted towards Kiba, enjoying the sunshine and the warm spring air. Yuujiro's expression slowly darkened, and he finally dropped back beside Masa, who had been a few paces behind in a subtle attempt to not get lost.

"What's up?" Masa inquired, thoughts far away. A glance at Yuujiro, however, quickly snapped her attention back.

The blonde suddenly bellowed incoherently, making Masa assume a defensive stance in alarm. Mikoto nearly leapt out of his skin in fright, ruby eyes wide. Tooru sighed and stopped, turning to face Yuujiro.

"For the Princess of Summer, you sure don't take the heat well," Tooru observed. He reached into his pocket and withdrew a hair tie, which he shot at the blonde.

"Thanks," Yuujiro said with a sigh, quickly pulling his long locks into a ponytail. "Remembered everything but that. This gets _hot_." He readjusted his backpack, which contained their wigs and miscellaneous goods. "Continue on." He waved at Tooru and Mikoto, the latter which stared at him suspiciously.

Tooru sighed and shook his head, tugging on Mikoto.

"Did you have a question, Yuujiro?" Masa asked warily, still on guard.

"Yes." His golden eyes were serious. "How many more people from your childhood are we going to meet?"

"That oughta be it," Masa said thoughtfully. "Chihiro and her brother lived beside me, and Kenta nii-san lived down the street at the dojo. He helped me during some...rough times." Her hazel eyes darkened at that, expression downcast. Just as quickly as it appeared, though, it was gone. She forced a smile.

"As long as we don't run into any long-lost cousins or anything," Yuujiro said with a shrug. "Have you thought about how you're going to keep your secret during a dress fitting?"

Masa perked up. "I'll find a way. I'm quite lucky, if not resourceful."

"That..." Yuujiro sighed. "...is not reassuring. Also, you're directionally challenged," he reminded the brunette with a laugh.

Masa stared at him.

"What?" the blonde demanded, hands on his hips.

"You look like a girl, and you totally just sounded like one now," Masa snickered as the blonde swept his ponytail aside in a nonchalant fashion.

"Doesn't that say something about _your_ feminity, if a guy seems like more of a girl than you?"

Masa gave him a light chop on the head, skittering to Tooru and Mikoto.

"Save me," Masa implored Mikoto, hazel eyes sparkling with tears. "Yuujiro wants to lock me away so my beauty doesn't outshine his!" She looked up at the redhead with the most sorrowful expression she could muster.

Mikoto simply stared at her.

"No," he said flatly.

Masa turned to Tooru, pouting as she wiped her crocodile tears away. "Tooru," she whined, "Miko-chan won't save me."

Tooru decided not to wonder how she could cry on command, instead glancing at Mikoto. Sapphire eyes met stubborn ruby ones in a battle of wills, but Mikoto never gave in.

"Why don't we lock Mikoto up?" Yuujiro asked boredly, looking at his fingernails. "Then he'd never have to dress up again."

"But we'd lose our perks," Masa pointed out. Tooru nodded absently.

"I hate you all," the redhead wailed.

"It's easier to be hated than loved," Yuujiro said philosophically. "This is how you show your love, right?"

Masa draped herself on Mikoto. "It's okay," she said soothingly. "We'd let you out if you agreed to dress up of your own accord-probably." She blinked. "That would solve a lot of our problems."

She let out a cackle as she dodged Mikoto's half-hearted swing, circling behind Tooru.

"That was not a very ladylike noise," Tooru said, raising an eyebrow. "And apologize to Mikoto. We don't want him sulking during the dress fitting," the blue-haired boy chided.

Masa scuffed her feet, looking downcast. "Sorry, Mikoto," she said after a moment. "Will you forgive the poor, jealous me?" She knelt, bowing her head.

"Get up," Mikoto hissed. "You're attracting attention!"

Indeed, the people passing by had stopped, staring in interest.

"Accept my heartfelt apology, Mikoto-sama," she said loudly, head still bowed. "Or no dice," she added in an undertone.

"Fine," Mikoto said, slumping in defeat. "You're forgiven."

Masa leapt up, suddenly grabbing Mikoto's hand and kissing his fingers.

"Many thanks, Mikoto-sama," the brunette said, hazel eyes dancing as she bowed to the crowd, who broke out in applause.

Whispers of "how sweet" and "They make a lovely couple" floated around them as the people gathered around dispersed. Yuujiro rubbed the bridge of his nose tiredly.

"You seem to have a flair for dramatics, Masa," Tooru noted with interest.

"Drama club in middle school," she shrugged.

"And that was enough to make you comfortable doing _this_?" Mikoto demanded.

"I think I remember you mentioning that before," Tooru said ponderingly.

"That tart said she went to the same middle school as you," Yuujiro said, sniffing disdainfully.

"Are you really going to call her that all of the time?" Masa asked incredulously.

Yuujiro ignored Masa's comment, sighing. "Did she act with you? I can see her being sneaky."

The brunette raised an eyebrow. "No, Chihiro was in charge of hairstyling." Masa paused. "I wonder...?"

Before Yuujiro could inquire as to what Masa was wondering, Mikoto's head popped out from around the corner, gesturing excitedly. The other three looked at each other, then dashed in an impromptu race.

Screeching to a halt, Masa, Tooru, Yuujiro, and Mikoto looked upon Kiba High School, their breath taken away by its magnificence...and wondering what, exactly, to expect.


	12. Part Eleven: Guys in Disguise

Part Eleven: Guys in Disguise

Disguise our bondage as we will, 'Tis woman, woman, rules us still.  
-Thomas More

The gate to Kiba High School was wrought iron, inlaid with delicate lilies and beautifully detailed. A path surrounded by colourful flowers led across the spacious grounds; a pond with a marble bridge added a touch of elegance to the well-maintained lawn. Benches were here and there beneath large elm and weeping willow trees, the shade a welcome respite for students.

Even Tooru and Yuujiro were taken aback. Women moved around the campus, uniforms patches of colour against the green landscape, all looking immaculate.

The four Princesses felt very out of place.

"Where are we supposed to go?" Tooru asked in an undertone. Yuujiro shrugged.

"Fantastic," Mikoto grumbled. "At least we won't get hit on here. Right?" he asked, after the other three were silent for a long moment. "Right?" His voice rose an octave in panic.

Masa had been looking around the campus, pondering. She blinked, then headed over to the first person that caught her eye. Straightening her shoulders, she attempted to project an aura of self-assurance.

"Excuse me, _ojou-san_," she began. The girl turned with a squeak, clearly startled.

Fine black hair in a pixie cut with a side part framed a petite face, brown eyes peering out behind wire-rimmed glasses. The girl cringed, stepping back.

"Y-yes?" she asked hesitantly.

Masa gave the girl a Blinding Smile on reflex, radiating confidence. She tilted her head, hazel eyes warm. "We're looking for Akane Ito-san. We have an appointment at 9am, but we're unsure of where to go." Masa gestured helplessly.

"Why is the one who couldn't find her way out of a paper bag asking for directions?" Yuujiro asked in alarm. The three boys hurried over to Masa and the girl.

The girl blinked, pushing her glasses up her nose. Her eyes widened as a lightbulb came on.  
"You're from Fujimori, right?" she asked, looking them all over, but paying special attention to Mikoto. "You must be Yutaka-san?"

Mikoto nodded, his ruby eyes puzzled.

The girl clapped excitedly, rushing over to the redhead.

"You have _beautiful_ hair," she exclaimed, running her hands through it. "Shame we have to cover it with a wig. What conditioner do you use to get it so shiny?" She prattled on, not giving poor Mikoto a chance to get a word in edgewise.

After watching with a hidden grin, Tooru coughed, then intercepted.

"We don't want to keep Ito-san waiting," the blue-haired boy said with a smile.

The girl stopped mid-sentence, blinking. She blushed as she stepped back from Mikoto, smoothing her yellow vest and blue skirt.

"I'm terribly sorry," she stammered. "My name is Karin Ono. I am a first year at Kiba school and a hairstylist in the Drama Club. I'll be working with your hair, Yutaka-san," she added with an apologetic glance at the redhead. "Please, follow me to the theatre." She bowed, then gestured.

The four Princesses obediently followed, gazing in awe at the school. The white marble exterior glittered in the sunlight, the building itself resembling a castle in its elegance.

Karin led them up to a set of massive, arched oak doors. Lilies surrounded by ivy were engraved into the wood, while beautiful stained glass windows above the door drew the eye.

It took everything Masa had not to squee in girlish glee.

Karin opened the doors, gesturing inside. The entryway had beautiful tapestries depicting graceful Japanese women in traditional kimonos, their colour enhanced by the rays from the stained glass windows.  
"This was well-planned," Tooru said in surprise.

"The antechamber was originally a chapel," Karin said with a small self-satisfied smile. "We kept the original design. The pews are actually still here." She pointed to some benches near rows of footlockers. "We've expanded quite a bit since then, obviously," the girl said, pushing her glasses up her nose.

They passed through a wide hallway, Karin greeting the students that passed by them. Some had on the same yellow uniform as she did, while they spotted occasional navy vest.

"Why do they have different coloured uniforms?" Mikoto asked curiously.

"Oh, those are the second years," Karin said with a small smile. "Each of the years gets a different uniform. First year is yellow"-she made a sweeping gesture towards herself-"while second years are blue. Third years have white vests and yellow shirts."

"That sounds much more interesting than our uniforms," Masa sighed. "We wear these during the entirety of our school life. We just get new tags."

As they went down the hall, the four Princesses felt curious stares burning into their backs. The girls were too well-mannered to ask, but the questions hung thick in the air.

"Please forgive them," Karin apologized, brown eyes sympathetic. "Not many men have come into the school. I believe the gentlemen from your school were the first to properly interact with the students in a long time, aside from Goto-san. He's helped many of our girls learn to dance with Kashima-san," she explained.

They suddenly entered into a spacious plaza, full-length windows giving views of the gardens and grounds. A campus store was tucked into a corner, and Masa spotted a sign reading "Administration" pointing down a shorter hallway. Two large doors were on the east and west side, but they were closed.

"That leads to the clubrooms," Karin explained, pointing to the eastern door. "The one on the right leads to the cafeteria." They continued north, going down a shorter hallway. Just as Karin went to open an arched door at the end, it suddenly swung open, causing the girl to tumble forwards. Masa and Mikoto lunged, grabbing her before she fell on her face.

"Can't mar that pretty face," Masa said with a smile.

Karin blushed and stammered something incoherent, then looked at who had opened the door.

"Ah, onee-san," she said, surprised. "I thought you were helping Ito-sama."

"I _was_." Long, straight black hair swished as a girl glared at Karin. Their faces were almost identical, and Masa could easily see the family resemblence. She was wearing the navy uniform of the second years. "We were waiting on you."

"I was just going to find some more styling pins," Karin said with a stubborn frown. "Then I came across these people from Fujimori."

"So you're the ones we're working with?" Her brown eyes were curious as she looked them over. "I can see why you're the ones dressing up." She stuck out a hand in greeting. "Sayaka Ono. I'm Karin's older sister, and I'm in charge of..." Sayaka paused, then stared at Yuujiro and Masa. "Your makeup."

"I'm Yuujiro Shihoudani," Yuujiro said, taking the hand with a bow. "This is Masa Inoue, Tooru Kouno, and Mikoto Yutaka."

As their names were said, the other three bowed to the second year.

"Well, let's get going," Sayaka said with a sharp turn, marching out the door. Karin hurried behind, and the four Princesses trotted after.

* * *

They suddenly emerged into sunlight, large marble gables leading down a stone path that branched off.  
"We're going this way to the theatre," Karin said, pointing to the right. "That way leads to the dorms."  
They stopped outside of a large building with a sign reading "Kiba High Auditorium". Masa stood in awe of the glamour of the school.

"Impressive, isn't it?" Sayaka said with a grin. "Our entire school just _screams _old money."

Yuujiro sighed and nodded. "Fujimori is far too new for all of that stuff."

"Though our auditorium is actually fairly nice," Tooru shrugged. "We've got that stage."

"Probably from Princess money," Mikoto said glumly.

"Now now," Masa tutted. "You're so bitter. Can't you enjoy the fact that we're surrounded by girls?"

"I have Megumi-san," Mikoto said firmly.

Karin stared at the four of them with a puzzled look on her face, pushing her glasses up her nose. "You all seem...well aquainted with each other. Did you know each other before?"

"Nope," Tooru chimed brightly. "We all met at the start of the month."

Sayaka raised an eyebrow. "You also seem to have adjusted to this cross-dressing rather well." She paused, looking suspiciously at them.

"We're all on the straight and narrow," Yuujiro said instantly, as if sensing her unasked question. "No worries. And we promise not to get you all hot and bothered." He grinned, glancing askew at Masa. "After all, we're ladies."

Sayaka sighed and gestured them inside the auditorium. It had a lavish lobby, the gold-edged green carpet bringing to life the forest mosaics on the walls. Sayaka opened large double doors, and they all blinked in the sudden change in lighting as they walked down the main aisle.

"This is more like an amphitheatre than an auditorium," Yuujiro said in surprise.

"Don't you have backstage doors?" Tooru inquired.

"Yes," Sayaka said with a gleam in her eye, "but then you wouldn't be amazed by our magnificent auditorium."  
Masa had to agree that it far outweighed their school auditorium, which consisted of a platform and two microphone stands. "We have a theatre for our drama club, though," Masa murmured, remembering an instance in which Natasho-senpai attempted to get them to participate in a play.

"As for your question, Shihoudani-san," Sayaka continued, glancing at the blonde, "we're an auditorium because we don't have sound reinforcement systems"-here, she gave a wistful sigh-"or things like an audiovisual system and projection screen and an orchestra pit."

As Sayaka lectured Yuujiro on the specifications of the building for the best acoustical sound, Karin glanced at the other three.

"Onee-san wants to become a sound engineer," she whispered, sympathetic eyes on Yuujiro. "I feel bad for Shihoudani-san. She won't stop for a while now."

"There's love in that gaze," Masa said after spotting the sparkle in Sayaka's brown eyes.

Tooru gave Masa a sideways glance. "How can you tell? Have you been seeing someone on the side?"

Masa simply raised an eyebrow, and the blue-haired boy snickered.

Mikoto was giggling quietly, but stopped abruptly as they walked up to the large stage, elevated a bit by support beams covered by large drapes. Masa spotted some larger props beneath it, then noticed Mikoto hanging back with a glum expression on his face.

"What's up, Miko-chan?" Masa asked brightly, draping herself on the redhead's slim shoulders. "Show us your pretty smile! It's been a while since we've seen it."

"Not much to smile about lately," Mikoto said grumpily, ignoring Masa's irritating nickname. "Why do we have to dance? Couldn't they have gotten more Kiba girls?"

"They're not as _pretty_ as us," Yuujiro proclaimed, sweeping his ponytail back pompously.

"I wonder if the Student Council has something to do with it?" Tooru wondered, and the four Princesses shivered.

"Ito-san will give you a run for your money," Sayaka declared. Karin nodded.

A moment of pondering, and the Princesses were forced to concede the point. Akane _was_ rather blinding.  
"This way to backstage," Karin said, leading the group down a side aisle. Tooru walked with his head down, thinking. Masa wondered what exactly required such brainpower, when the blue-haired boy cocked his head to the side.

"What kind of activities do you have that got you this much funding?" he asked after a pause.

Karin stopped, thinking. "We have a wide variety of clubs and outside associations which require a large stage. Banquets, lectures, theatre, and the like. The school ensured we were prepared for any occasion that arises, so we have all of this." She made a sweeping gesture, encompassing the entire area.

"Are you in any other clubs, Ono-san?" Tooru asked, chuckling when both of the sisters turned to look at him. "The elder," he clarified.

"You can call me Ono-senpai," Sayaka said, mimicking Yuujiro's hair toss. "Yeah, I'm in the music club as well."  
"Onee-san plays the tuba," Karin chimed.

Masa suddenly burst out laughing, easily picturing the firey second year playing the boisterious instrument. Tooru and Yuujiro snickered behind their hands, while even Mikoto cracked a small grin at the thought.

"What's so funny?" Sayaka demanded. "A tuba has the tonal range to be a great indicator of acoustical space."  
Karin opened a door labelled "L-BS" and gestured them inside. The four Princesses followed Sayaka, with Karin bringing up the rear.

Mannequins occupied most of the hallway, in a variety of costumes and accessories. Partially opened doors revealed glimpses of props and furniture, as well as clothing strewn about.

Masa grinned. That reminded her of Kaoru's room back at their house.

A set of stairs led up to the stage, but the group trotted past it. An archway led to a more spacious hall, in which a group of girls were gathered.

* * *

They all instinctively covered their eyes when Akane spotted them.

"Ah, Masa-kun," she cooed, hugging the brunette. "I'm so glad you made it." Akane snapped her fingers imperiously, and five girls popped their heads out of various doorways.

Two were first years, while two more wore the blue garb of the second years. Akane and another girl were third years. The four Princesses recognized all of the girls except the third year.

"You've met Chihiro-chan and Karin-chan," Akane began. Chihiro sidled up to Masa and put her arm possessively around the brunette, leading to Masa looking at her friend suspiciously. Karin nodded in agreement and shoved her glasses up.

"Miwa-chan and Kyoko-chan practiced with you," Akane continued. Miwa gave a graceful curtsey, leading Masa to sigh in jealousy at her easy posture. Kyoko glanced up, pins in her mouth, grinning as her bangs fell out from their clips. She made a face as Akane sighed.

"You remember Shion-chan, I'm sure." Akane gestured to the wavy-haired second year, who quickly fixed Kyoko's hair with the air of having done it many, many times before. Kyoko smiled sheepishly as she disappeared back into the room she'd emerged from.

"And we've met," Sayaka said mischievously. Akane rolled her eyes, sweeping her luxurious curls out of her eyes, and pointed to the girl beside her. A redheaded girl glanced briefly up from a sketchpad, green eyes sizing the four up and then scribbling something.

"This is Mio Hana, our dress designer," Akane said with a bright smile. "So now that you're all here, we can properly organize ourselves at last. We'll do fittings first, then hair and makeup, then dance practice." She paused, gathering her thoughts.

"Yuujiro-kun, you'll go with Kyoko-chan. She'll be working with your dress and doing your hair in the first changing room. Miwa will be helping you, Masa-kun"-her face fell slightly with disappointment-"in the second room. Sayaka-chan will do your makeup when you're done. Tooru-kun, Shion-chan will do your fitting and hair, while Mio will help Mikoto with his dress, and Karin-chan will be doing your hair. I'll be doing both of your makeup." She stood straight, and they all pictured her as a general dispersing her troops. "What are you waiting for? Snap to it, people!" She clapped her hands, startling the group out of the stupor they had fallen into. The Kiba girls glanced at Mio, who examined her paper with a critical eye.

"Shion, take Kouno-san's dress in 3cm at the waist and let it out 1cm at the hips. Kyoko, you'll need to let it out 1cm at the bust and take it in 2cm at the waist. You'll all be wearing padded bras, by the way," Mio added matter-of-factly. The three boys looked surprised while Masa inwardly groaned. "While you may not have needed them at Fujimori, here at Kiba we prefer a certain decorum." She paused. "You're all much skinner than Akane had me believe. Miwa, let it out 2cm at the bust, and I've got Yutaka-san ready to go."

The four Princesses stared at the third year in astonishment.

"You seem well-prepared," Tooru noted in amazement. "Did Natasho-senpai fill you in?"

Mio visibly twitched at the mention of their costumer's name. Shion edged towards the blue-haired boy, speaking in an undertone.

"Natasho-san continously bested her in creating fashion designs for girls." Shion paused, looking a bit uncomfortable. "Though his methods were rather unprecedented."

The four Princesses stared blankly at her. Shion sighed, shaking her head.

"He used boys, like yourselves, as models."

Their eyes lit up with sudden understanding.

"It makes more sense now," Yuujiro grumbled.

"And these guys were okay with that?" Masa asked curiously. "Did they have to actually wear them?"  
The second-year bit her lip thoughtfully. "Must have, though I don't think they were required to show them off. I think they were just used as inspiration."

Mikoto just sighed.

"In retaliation, Mio-san began making male clothes to fit women. She did quite well, and became the most celebrated designed Kiba's ever had. The club will be a lot less interesting without Hana-san and Ito-san," Sayaka said sadly.

"For all her grumbling, Mio _has_ helped Natasho-san on occasion," Akane said with a grin. Mio muttered something under her breath and returned to sketching.

Masa turned to Yuujiro with a quizzical expression. "You looked uncomfortable at the mention of bras. I guess we don't use them, do we," the brunette mused. "Wonder why not?"

"We don't need to," Mikoto said emphatically, thumping his chest.

"They're impossible for the male mind to fathom," Tooru sighed.

"Nonsense. Do them up from the front." Masa quirked an eyebrow.

"Oh ho, it seems Masa-kun has some experience," Akane said with a giggle.

Masa spluttered while the Kiba girls laughed. Even Tooru and Mikoto snickered, though Yuujiro frowned.  
"Anyway. Let's turn these weeds into roses, shall we?" Akane shooed the people into their rooms, and the girls went to work.

* * *

Miwa put Masa in front of three-panelled mirrors that displayed her at every angle, walking around the brunette. After a long silence, she put her hands on her hips.

"Well. Mio-san said to let it out at the bust. I'll be right back." She disappeared through a doorway, and Masa heard humming noises. Five minutes later, Miwa returned, her brown eyes sparkling.

"_This_ is what you'll be wearing," Miwa said proudly, displaying Masa's outfit.

Masa almost gasped before catching herself. It was a beautiful emerald green strapless dress, delicate rhinestones down to the waist. The skirt glittered in the light, layers of crinoline giving it enough poof to hide her figure.

"This is amazing," she breathed in awe. "It's breathtaking."

"Isn't it?" Miwa said with a happy smile. "I was so honoured to be working with Mio-san on this. It took a while, but I'm quite satisfied with the result."

Masa stared in amazement, but then a thought occured. "Wait, how did you know our sizes to prep them this much?"

"Oh, I asked Tsu-kun," Miwa said with a small smile. "He was more than happy to do so."

"I see," the brunette said thoughtfully. "Apparently everyone else was two steps ahead of us." She paused, then looked more closely at the dress. "Hey, this is strapless. How're we supposed to make sure the bra doesn't slip?"  
Miwa gave Masa an odd glance. "The bras we will be giving you actually have clear straps, so you don't need to worry about that. The bust fit will ensure the dress stays up."

"How much padding are we talking about, here?" Masa asked with suspicion.

"Only a bit. Just enough to fill it out." Miwa hung the dress up, then turned and produced the bra. It was, indeed, slightly padded.

"I wonder why we're going to such lengths?" Masa murmured. "I wonder?"

"Please let me know when you're done changing," Miwa said as she exited the room.

Masa stared despondently at the dress. "This is gonna show," she grumbled. "At least I won't have to worry about the chest, or lack thereof." Masa pondered this for a moment. "Ah, well."

She quickly stripped out of her uniform, removing the bandage around her chest as she reached for the bra. As she put it on, she frowned.

"It fits," she moaned. "Did I lose weight _there_?" Adjusting herself, she posed in the mirror. "Nice to finally have one on, though." Since she'd moved into the dorms, she couldn't risk having bra straps showing. While she did have two strapless bras, they weren't quite small enough for her to wear under her uniform.  
She glared at the scar that ran from her clavicle to her sternum, wondering how much of it was going to show. Masa glanced at the dress, then sighed.

"Let's see what I look like," she murmured, then slipped into the dress. There was a moment of confusion as she wrestled with the crinoline; most of Natasho-senpai's dresses had loose skirts, so they didn't need that much definition.

Eventually she emerged out of the top of the dress, panting slightly. "That should count as a workout," the brunette grumbled as she adjusted the bodice.

Miwa rapped on the door. "Are you done, Masa-san?"

"Oh. Yes," Masa hurriedly called. "Come in."

As Miwa entered, Masa turned and looked at herself in the mirror. She was astonished; it made her look completely ladylike.

Miwa sighed happily. "It looks so good on you, Masa-san," she said, brown eyes gleaming. "We were unsure of what colour to use. Do you have your wig with you?"

"Ah, yes," Masa stammered, entranced by her reflection. "It's, um, in Yuujiro's bag. Outside."

Miwa grabbed the wig and gave it to Masa, who put it on and quickly let the long locks down. Her hair went from messily short to sleek and long, down to the middle of her back.

Miwa stared at the brunette. "You could easily pass for a girl," she said in amazement.

"I know," Masa mumbled. She eyed herself critically; you could only see a third of her scar. Acceptable.  
Miwa suddenly leaned in close to Masa's chest, examining it. "Mio-san said to let it out, and I can see why. It's a bit hard for your lungs to expand, right?"

Masa did an experimental breath. "Yep."

"All right. I'll be right back." Miwa moved into the smaller room, and Masa heard things being moved around. A few moments later, Miwa emerged with pins and a measuring tape.

"Arms up, please," she ordered. Masa meekly raised her arms, flushing slightly.

"So how long have you known Tsutomu-san?" Masa asked, to fill the silence. Miwa's face lit up.

"Since the second year of middle school," she said around the pins in her mouth. "We met at the library. We both reached for the same book." She smiled at the memory. "We started talking, and it went from there."

Masa was envious of the second-year, but then realized in her current state of affairs, a relationship was out of the question.

"What about you, Masa-san? Do you have anyone you like?"

Miwa's question caught the brunette off-guard. "Um, nope," she said hurriedly. Miwa glanced suspiciously up at her, then giggled.

"I saw Chihiro-chan eyeing you up." Miwa's eyes sparkled mischieviously. "Do you two have something going on?"

Masa's hazel eyes stared blankly into Miwa's brown. "No." There was a tone of finality in her voice, and Miwa wisely decided to leave it be.

Miwa's hands were deft and quick, and soon Masa's dress fit like a glove.

"How does it feel, Masa-san?" she inquired, hands on her hips.

Masa did a twirl, then bent at the hip. "Great. It's amazing," she said with awe. "I can't wait to see what you did to the others."

"Well, you'll find out soon," Miwa said with a smile. "Let's get Chihiro-chan in here so she can see."

"Wait, I'm not mentally prepared-" Masa began, but Chihiro swept into the room without so much as a knock.

"Oh no you don't," her childhood friend said with a wicked grin. "Let's...see..."

Chihiro trailed off, amber eyes widening.

"I know, hey?" Miwa said, giggling. "It's a complete change."

"I'll say," Chihiro muttered, shaking her head. "Your hair is pretty long, hey? Turn for me." Chihiro made a twirling motion, and Masa obliged.

"All right, come with me. Don't worry, the dress is made to stand up against a lot of stuff. You'll be eating in it, remember?" Chihiro added, seeing Masa's obvious distress.

"Are...are you sure?" Masa asked hesitantly.

Chihiro squealed. "It's been so long since I've seen you this uncomfortable!" She clapped with glee as the two left the room, laughing. Masa simply grumbled under her breath as she delicately lifted the skirt of the dress, careful not to step on it.

"You're so _cute_, Maa-chan," Chihiro said with a sly look as the other three emerged from their respective change rooms. Masa gasped at the transformation, as did Akane, Sayaka, and Karin. Even Mio's eyes widened.

The four Princesses had truly become their titles.

Tooru's dress was like Masa's, only his was a pale pink colour; it complimented his fair skin in a way Masa never knew possible. That, combined with his long, blue hair made him picture perfect.

Mikoto had on a dress with a wavy, gathered skirt, the royal blue creating an astonishing contrast to his curly red hair and ruby eyes. His eyes widened at the sight of the others, immediately blushing and covering his face with his hands.

Yuujiro looked stunning in a black dress with the skirt gathered in places, yet it had a steady hem line that caused the blonde to look taller than he was. He swished his hair back, then caught Masa eyeing him up and flushed. He stared at her, shocked at the change, and Masa blushed as well.

"This seems...different," Masa said finally, trying to stop her face from reddening.

"Maybe because of these?" Tooru inquired, patting his chest. "I never knew how hard girls had it with these things."

"This is an entirely different experience," Yuujiro observed, careful not to meet Masa's gaze. "Shall we continue with the hair and makeup, then?"

Akane blinked. "Yes, yes, of course. Let's begin, shall we? Come, come, Tooru-kun, Mikoto-kun. Or should it be -chan?" The curly-haired girl grinned. "Shion-chan, Karin-chan, come with me and we shall finish their transformations."

Karin nodded and shoved her glasses up, while Shion whistled in amazement.

Sayaka gestured to Yuujiro and Masa. "Please follow me."

Kyoko trotted behind the two excitedly, whispering with Chihiro. They went into another room, this one obviously the dressing room. Mirrors, makeup kits, and every kind of hair product imaginable littered the room, and Yuujiro and Masa were plopped into plush chairs.

"Now, Maa-chan," Chihiro said with a sly smile at Yuujiro, "let's do what we did when were little, okay?"  
Masa stared in bewilderment at her childhood friend, hazel eyes confused.

"Chihiro-chan, I've never had long hair," she began, but Chihiro clapped a hand over her mouth.  
"Let me play a bit with him, okay?" she murmured, making Masa shiver. Yuujiro's golden eyes shot darts at the amber-eyed girl, who met his stare.

They eventually stuck their tongues out at each other, and Chihiro and Kyoko went to work.

After a lot of playing and 'hmm' noises, it seemed Chihiro was satisfied and began braiding Masa's locks in an upward fashion. Masa sat there, eyes closed, ignoring Yuujiro's pointed glances. She fell into a light doze, then snapped awake when Chihiro pronounced her done.

Masa's hair was braided so it encircled her hair like a wreath, leaving the crown of her head smoothed out and looking quite managed.

"Well done," Masa said, impressed. "I never would have thought of that. How the heck did you manage that?"

"Crafting skills," Chihiro said with a grin. Masa sighed and shook her head.

"Gaming otaku," the brunette said, pursing her lips. Chihiro just cackled.

Turning to ask Yuujiro what he thought, she blinked. His hair, sleek up to a tiara, was done in a fabulous updo on the top of his head, his hair arranged into curls. The tiara had small, intricate flowers on it, and it seemed to be helping support the gargantuan curls.

"Wow," Masa said after a moment. "Yuujiro, you look _fantastic_."

"I don't even know how to respond to that," the blonde grumbled. "I always look fantastic. This just seems weird."

"Says the boy that regularly dresses as a girl," Chihiro said, quirking her eyebrow.

"That does seem a bit odd," Masa mused. "We're fine with it, but introducing the bras made us all uncomfortable. Maybe because it's truly crossing the line?"

Both Chihiro and Yuujiro gave Masa a strange look.

"What?" she demanded, frowning.

Yuujiro sighed, and Chihiro shook her head and giggled a bit.

"Inoue-san is a bit of a philosopher?" Kyoko said, intrigued. "What do you mean by that?"

A quick explanation of the Princesses led to Kyoko nodding thoughtfully.

"We do have princes here," she said wisely. "I totally understand."

"You don't know the half of it," Masa said, slumping. The dance lessons were still on her mind, though they had been temporarily replaced by the shock of seeing everyone looking like girls. She sat and stared at herself broodingly in the mirror for a long moment.

Chihiro draped herself over the chair, embracing Masa.

"Your scar isn't noticable at all," she whispered, and Masa gave a half-hearted grin

"Thanks, Chihiro-chan," the brunette sighed. "But that's not what's on my mind."

"Ah. Right. I almost forgot." Chihiro cocked her head to the side. "It's not that bad now, right? I mean, you practiced before with no problems."

"Yeah, but I'm a bit afraid it'll happen at the most terrible moment," Masa said darkly. Yuujiro frowned at that statement, wondering what they were talking about, but was chided by Sayaka.

"Hold still, Shihoudani-san," she complained, "or else I'm never going to be able to blend your eyeshadow."  
Yuujiro obediently closed his eyes and faced towards the second-year, still pondering.

After a long moment in which Chihiro and Masa whispered back and forth, Sayaka pronounced him done and moved on to Masa. Their makeup perfectly complimented their skin tone and their dresses.

"Inoue-san, your dress really brings out the green in your eyes," Sayaka complimented.  
"The black dress makes Yuu-chan's hair stand out," Chihiro said, then added in an undertone, "Wonder if his heart's like that?"

"Stands out or black?" Masa whispered, elbowing her friend in the ribs.

"Whatever way you want to take it," Chihiro said with an evil grin as they left the room.

* * *

Mikoto's hair, teased and done in a poofed ponytail, stared at his feet despondently. The loose ends of his curls hid his face as Tooru put his arms around the redhead. Tooru seemed comfortable with himself, his hair pulled back tightly and curled into a loose bun around a hidden hairclip. A pink rose emerged from the right side of his hair, softening the look.

"Hot _damn_, you all look good," Kyoko whistled. "Props to us!"

Shion glared at Kyoko, who laughed and gave a shrug.

"Well done," Akane said, clapping her hands. Everyone looked at her, and she gave a Blinding Smile. The Kiba girls were dazzled, the four Princesses clapping a hand to their eyes on reflex.

"That only took twenty minutes. If that's the case, we should have ample time before the banquet to properly ensure that everything is in order. Now, let's head to the stage. Your dance partners should have arrived by now."

"Won't it be a bit of a shock for the Kiba girls to see so many men at one time?" Tooru asked curiously.

"Nah. It's not like we're nuns, it's just we don't see that many guys outside of events," Kyoko said, raising an eyebrow. "We're not _that_ pure." She cackled, and Shion chopped her on the head.

"Why aren't you guys all dressed up?" Masa inquired.

"We're used to this kind of thing," Sayaka snorted. "We have a lot of fundraising balls and banquets and things."  
"That being said, we shouldn't keep the men waiting," Akane reminded them.

The four Princesses emerged from backstage, climbing the stairs with grace as the Fujimori soccer team eagerly awaited their arrival..


	13. Part Twelve: A Dance of Memories

Part Twelve: A Dance of Memories

"Although I know it's unfair, I reveal myself one mask at a time." -Stephen Dunn

The four Princesses stood at the darkened base of the stairs, attempting to gather their courage. The Kiba girls had gone ahead of them, giggling and whispering.

Masa could hear the team's chorus of groans when the Kiba girls emerged.

"Come on, we're dying of anticipation out here," Hiro said with a sigh.

"What, we're suddenly not good enough for you?" Shion said, and the four could easily imagine her giving him a glare. The laughter that followed proved their assumption correct.

"They turned from weeds into flowers," Akane said loudly. "They need a minute to process this."

"Just how much did you _do _to them?" Eiji boomed.

Masa heard Chihiro's chuckle.

"Tart," Yuujiro whispered, and Masa giggled quietly. A hand suddenly reached out and grabbed hers, and she nearly had a heart attack.

"Sorry, Masa," Tooru apologized. "It's too dark to see well."

"Need some courage, then?" Masa raised an (unseen) eyebrow, then squeezed the slender hand. She saw a faint smile, and the Princesses of Spring and Winter emerged onto the stage, blinking in the lights.

* * *

It was quiet...too quiet.

Silence blanketed the auditorium as Yuujiro dragged a reluctant Mikoto with him, and the soccer team got their first glimpse of the Princesses.

"My, my, if you keep staring we'll all blush," Masa said coyly, batting her eyelashes as a maidenly flush crept up her cheeks. Mikoto, staring at his feet, tried to hide behind Tooru with little success.

Katsumi was looking at the blue-haired boy intently, causing Tooru to blush. Yuujiro quirked an eyebrow at Masa, who grinned.

"I approve," Katsumi said after a long moment, nodding. "But you look _too_ good. I'll have to share you, Tocchi." The red-haired boy pouted, causing Eiji to thwap him.

"You all, indeed, look rather..." Fumio began, then trailed off.

"Feminine?" Chihiro chirped.

"Fantastic?" Shion added.

The entire team nodded in unison, and silence fell once more. The Kiba girls stared expectantly at Akane, whose foot was tapping impatiently.

"All right, now that they've been unveiled, let's get to practicing. Goto-san, Miwa-chan, you two take it from here."

Tsutomu's demeanor changed as a wicked grin came over his face. Everyone shivered, including the Kiba girls.

"Let's begin, shall we?" Miwa turned the music on, and they all partnered up. It was the same as last time; Yuujiro with a delighted Akihiko, Mikoto and Nori, Tooru and Katsumi, and Masa and Fumio.

Masa was surprised and dismayed at the boys' progress. Tsutomu rarely had to intervene, but when he did his sharp voice echoed through the auditorium.

"He certainly has no problems projecting his voice," Mitsuru grumbled as he and Kyoko whirled past. Tsutomu suddenly popped up beside him, causing the curly-haired boy to squeak in surprise.

"Shoulders back, Mitsuru!" he barked, and Mitsuru instantly straightened up. Masa marvelled at the effect Tsutomu and Miwa had upon the dancers, even as she attempted to follow along.

Fumio held Masa gently, as if he thought she'd break. While Masa marveled at the delicate treatment, she stumbled on a turn.

"Sorry, Masa-hime!" Fumio hurriedly apologized. "I, um, was...erm..."

Masa gave him a low-powered Blinding Smile. "Charmed by my beauty, are you?"

"No! I mean-yes! But-" Fumio stammered, brown eyes full of panic.

The brunette giggled. "Don't worry," she assured him, then tripped again. "I should be apologizing to _you_. How did you all improve so much?"

Fumio's face twitched. "Tsutomu had us practice before school started."

Masa snickered, even as she attempted to surrepitously glance at her feet.

"Fumio-san, you need to hold Masa-san tightly," Miwa chided as she inspected the dancers. "She needs support on those turns. Masa-san, you should be dancing on your toes, otherwise you'll trip on your heels."

Indeed, Masa was unused to wearing heels, nevertheless dancing in them. She sighed and nodded in understanding. Akihiko and Yuujiro swept by, the Princess of Summer rolling his eyes at Akihiko's unending compliments.

Mikoto, frowning, was attempting to slow his steps to match Nori's calm pace, but was failing utterly.

"Hime, please relax," the twin said with a small smile. "We're in no rush. This is a waltz, after all."

Mikoto sighed and looked up at Nori, which caused Nori to look away, abashed.

Katsumi moved Tooru smoothly around the stage, apparently unruffled by Tooru's startling transformation. The blue-haired boy, unable to meet his senpai's emerald green gaze, stared at his feet. Feeling Katsumi's eyes upon him unnerved him, and he stumbled; the redhead's quick reflexes allowed him to catch Tooru.

Their eyes met, and Katsumi flushed scarlet, attempting to avert his gaze nonchalantly. Tooru quirked an eyebrow and giggled, and the sweeper chuckled as well.

Masa watched this with interest as she struggled through the steps, Fumio and Miwa guiding her. She felt she was making no progress, and fell into a deeper funk as time went on.

She was also actively ignoring the looks Yuujiro was shooting her.

At ten-thirty, Tsutomu turned the music off and looked appreciatively at the group.

"You'd never guess you all sucked yesterday," he said with a wicked smile.

"That being said," Miwa said, gently smacking Tsutomu, "Masa-kun, Yuujiro-kun, Mikoto-kun, and Tooru-kun can go and change out of the dresses. You've all gotten a sense of what it'll be like?" She got four nods. "You may as well take the wigs off as well, so they don't fall out of place."

Tooru raised a hand. "Can we still practice in the heels? I'm a bit wobbly."

Katsumi grinned. "You're as graceful as a butterfly."

The blue-eyed boy sighed and shook his head.

"After lunch, we'll swap partners so you all know how to dance with different sized people. These fine young chaps won't be the only ones wanting to dance, you know. For now, change and we'll continue." Tsutomu clapped his hands, and the four Princesses scurried to their respective changing rooms. Fumio, Nori, Katsumi, and Akihiko grumbled good-naturedly at the change in partners, but the others cheered.

Masa pointedly went out of her way to avoid being alone with Yuujiro, having what she thought was more important things on her mind.

The Princesses grinned as they trotted back to their rooms, relieved to be out of the fancy dresses before anything happened to them.

* * *

Minutes later, they emerged in their normal uniforms, faces scrubbed pink so as to not sweat all of the makeup off. Tsutomu was lecturing Eiji on his posture as the other team members sat, relaxing.

Mitsuru leapt up at the Princesses' arrival, trotting over to Masa. "Masa-hime, I get to dance with you," he said proudly. His curly black hair was slightly disheveled from dancing, but his blue eyes sparkled all the same. Masa couldn't help but laugh at his enthusiasm.

"I wish I had your energy, Mitsuru-san," she said with a giggle. He beamed.

"I won the honour of dancing with you, Mikoto-hime," Hiro said, bowing over the redhead's hand.

"I don't know if it's much of an honour," Mikoto grumbled. "I still refuse to dress like that at the banquet. It's ridiculous. People will actually think we're girls."

"But you look so _good_, Mikoto," Yuujiro said with a wicked smile. "At least you're a better dancer than Masa."  
Masa pouted as Tooru laughed.

"Who gets to dance with me?" the blue-eyed boy inquired, giving the remaining members a Blinding Smile.

Iwao raised his hand.

"Come to think of it, you're a quiet guy, aren't you, Iwao-san?" Tooru asked, mentally reviewing his memories of the team.

"I speak when it's important," Iwao said with a smile. His brown eyes were warm as he took Tooru's hand, towering over the Princess.

"Now, now, Iwao-kun, you talk all the time around me," Chihiro said with a sigh. "You just have to let people know you're not some sort of ogre."

Iwao looked hurt at Chihiro's words, and Tooru felt a bit bad for the gentle giant.

"It's okay, Iwao-san," Tooru murmured. "I know you're not a bad guy."

The tall senior's face lit up in a grin. Katsumi, watching this, looked a bit put out. Eiji wandered over to his friend and whispered something in his ear, leading to the redhead laughing out loud. Tooru wondered what had been discussed until Tsutomu blasted the music again, and practice continued on.

* * *

At noon, they had a lunch break. The Kiba girls, apologizing, said they had to resume classes in the afternoon, but they were free to continue using the auditorium as long as they had to.

"We'll see you all tonight," Akane said with her own Smile, and the boys were all dazzled as the girls left.

"I wonder if they're single," Takeo said wistfully. Masa gave him a sad look.

"We're not good enough anymore?" she said, tears welling in her hazel eyes.

"Ah, no, that's not it at all, Himes!" Takeo backpedalled, startled. "I, um. It's just-"

"It's okay," Masa said with a laugh, running a hand through her messy locks. "I was kidding. We encourage you guys to go find girlfriends. We can't be Princesses forever, right?"

The team looked disheartened at that statement.

"For now, however, we're all yours," Tooru said, laying on his stomach with his head in his hands.

"I wonder why we're going to such lengths?" Mikoto wondered aloud, more than a little dejectedly. Eiji looked at the Princesses, confused.

"No one told you?" he asked, frowning.

"Told us what?" Tooru and Masa chorused.

"The school's Director is going to be at the banquet, and he wants to see how the Princess Project is progressing."

Masa paled. Yuujiro shot her a glance, which she promptly ignored.

"Let's at least do our duties by getting you guys some drinks," Tooru said with a Blinding Smile, sensing the animosity between the two Princesses.

Tsutomu smiled. "That would be wonderful."

"Here, I think I have some paper somewhere," Nori said while rifling through his pockets. "Ah. Here we go."  
"And I just happen to have a pen," Fumio said with a look at his twin. They both giggled and handed them to Yuujiro.

"Do you know where the vending machine is?" Tsutomu asked after the Princesses had gotten everyone's orders.

"In the hallway we came down, right?" Tooru confirmed, having spotted it on their way to the auditorium. Tsutomu nodded, and the four Princesses headed out.

* * *

At the vending machine, Tooru listed off the drinks while Mikoto dutifully put the change into the machine. Masa, quickly growing bored, wandered off around the corner. Yuujiro, spotting her leave, hurried after her.

Masa had seen Yuujiro's looks go from concerned, to upset, to angry, but she turned, quirking an eyebrow.

"You seem to have something on your mind," she said lightheartedly.

Yuujiro's expression darkened.

"Oh, so _now_ you want to talk?" Yuujiro said sarcastically. "Have you given any thought whatsoever as to what would happen if you're found out? The repercussions this entire fiasco would have on the school and the Princess Project? Think about it! While we're not well-known outside of the school, a _girl_ in a guy's school would probably destroy Fujimori's reputation! How did you even manage in in the first place? This shouldn't be happening!"

Yuujiro's words tumbled out, a river of pent-up emotions suddenly gushing out. His concerns over her spaciness, his confusion over how he _should_ be feeling versus how he _was_ feeling, and her absolute and total naivity all combined to overwhelm the blonde.

Masa's hazel eyes grew colder as she pondered his sudden change in attitude.

"I've been trying to find a _good_ way to go about this!" Masa retorted, eyes flashing. "Since I can't, any suggestions? What, now you're silent? Where did that bluster go?"

Masa was struggling to keep a light tone of voice, but she was wondering...

What kind of face was she making?

Yuujiro saw the expression on her face, and it was full of regret, sorrow, anger, and...shame? Why?

Before, it had seemed that Yuujiro hadn't cared what Masa did as long as it didn't trouble him. What had changed...?

Something clicked in her head and she turned, her expression neutral.

"I understand," she said flatly. "You certainly have had to put up with a lot. I never realized it bothered you that much. I suppose as a boy, you have every right to be uncomfortable changing around a girl. I'll ensure it doesn't happen again. It'll be easier for me as well. I never really...thought about it that well." Masa paused, mulling over her options, her expression growing darker by the moment. "I'll talk to Tsuji-senpai about being moved out of the P-Room, and I'll request an immediate dismissal from the Princess Project and ask to transfer schools."

For some reason, words just spilled out of Masa's mouth, and she was unable to stop them. "I'll need some time to get my papers done. Ume High School was my second choice and will probably let me in without having to take the test. It's a co-ed school, too, so you won't have to...cover for me anymore. It's for the best, I suppose."

Her eyes filled with tears that she wiped away, angry at herself. They had already went over this before, when he had first found out, but apparently it had hit the boiling point.

"I really didn't think this through. Thank you, Yuujiro, for reminding me-I am, actually, a girl."

There was no sarcasm in Masa's words. Only tired acceptance and defeat.

She turned and walked away.

* * *

Yuujiro, shocked speechless at the sudden proclamation, watched her leave. His brain scrambled to make sense of what had just transpired, but he had to do _something-_

* * *

Masa nearly jumped out of her skin at the hand that grabbed her arm; she instinctively grabbed it and twisted it into wristlock, whirling around to see who had attacked her.

Yuujiro's golden eyes flashed with indignation, amusement, and pain.

"What?" Masa asked crossly, rubbing her eyes. "I'll leave after the banquet, okay?"

She released the blonde and stalked away. Why did she care so much? He knew her secret. He could blackmail her if he so chose. Even though she knew he wouldn't ever do that, she still felt she had to make him out as a villian so she could somehow justify her feelings. It would be easier for her to leave. She'd certainly miss everyone, but...

Stubborn as she was, she had just charged ahead, brushing aside any concerns or potential problems. She was trying to justify her own selfish behaviour; Ume High School was almost as good as Fujimori.

Her eyes began to fill with tears again, but she forced herself to stop. Crying didn't solve anything.

Yuujiro lightly touched the brunette from behind, wary of getting judo-tossed. His expression was both frustrated and gentle, but Masa was trying to hide her face from the blonde.

"Hey. Calm down, Masa. It's just..." He paused, trying to organize his thoughts.

Masa whipped around, mouth trembling. "It's been _hard_ trying to keep this up, you know. I'd much rather not have to worry about getting dressed, or showering, or making sure that I don't act feminine. I'm an idiot, so I didn't think."

"Well, you are a bit of an idiot," Yuujiro said after a moment. His golden eyes were sombre. "First off, in your angsty word-binge you got turned around." He pointed in the opposite direction. "Washrooms are that way. Secondly"-He reached out and grabbed her shoulders, forcing her to face him-"I don't want you to go."

Yuujiro's eyes widened as he realized what he had just said.

"It'd be a lot less interesting if you left, that's all," the blonde said, looking uncomfortable. "Plus it'd be such a pain keeping Mikoto as a Princess if you ditched."

He paused, his eyes softening.

"It...finally hit me that you're a _girl_, all dressed up like that. You should be like that all of the time, all flowers and lace, not dressing like a boy." Yuujiro flushed scarlet. "You're too damn..." he grumbled, but the rest of his sentence was lost as Masa sniffled loudly.

"Now look at you. You look _terrible_. The difference between this and your crocodile tears is _enormous_. What kind of lady walks around looking like that?" Yuujiro gave her a small smile.

Masa gave a trembling grin in return, running a hand through her messy hair. "I'm going to go fix this," she said as she made a face. Turning and heading to the washroom, her footsteps drowned out the blonde's whisper.

* * *

"Please don't leave," Yuujiro whispered at his feet, trying to discern the feelings behind his statement. He had

just seen two faces he never, _ever_ wanted to see again.

He wanted to make sure she never felt that way again.

* * *

In the washroom, Masa splashed water on her face and slapped her cheeks.

"What the hell was _that_, Masa Inoue?" she demanded to her reflection. "Sudden outpouring of feelings much?"

She thumped her hands on the counter in frustration.

"I need some sort of solution...but...I mean, there is that extra room in the home ec room. Or I could get there before everyone else, but what if I need help with the dresses?"

Masa paused, hazel eyes growing abstract as she pondered. A dim idea appeared, but she would need more time to iron it out.

"As it is, Mom's genes keep me small," she muttered, "but the wrapping is rather large and cumbersome." It went from her collarbone to her abdomen, which is what had prompted the many discussions as the Princesses changed.

Shaking her head to clear any last lingering doubt (and completely destroying any tamed hair she had left), Masa glared resolutely at herself in the mirror.

"Let's not put on a display of absolute feminity again, shall we?"

Turning, she left the washroom confidently, shoving her worries deep inside her. She could think on them this weekend.

* * *

Yuujiro waited for Masa to return, deep in thought. He jumped at the door opening, and was a bit taken aback by Masa's return to her cheerful, spacey self.

He just stared at her for long moments, catching the brunette's attention. She blinked, then gave a grin.

"Oh, Yuujiro, stop staring," she said, flapping a hand at the blonde. "I'm going to get all worked up before we go back."

Yuujiro's expression fell slack as he stared in bemusement at her. She changed moods so quickly it was hard for him to keep up.

A sudden, disturbing thought emerged. What if she used her expressions as masks, to hide any insecurities?

Yuujiro did not like this train of thought and quickly put a halt to it. For now, he'd take her at her word, and hope that it didn't end badly.

"Come on, idiot, let's go back." With a swish of his golden locks, Yuujiro went down the hallway.

He missed Masa's small, wistful smile, a rare face indeed.

* * *

When they got back to the vending machine they saw a teary-eyed Mikoto and a pouting Tooru, with fourteen drinks sitting around them.

"Where were you two, hmm?" Tooru inquired, raising an eyebrow. His sapphire eyes were suspicious as he looked them both over. "Masa, did Yuujiro try anything?" He said it in a joking tone, but Yuujiro frowned.

Masa flew into Tooru's arms, eyes welling with tears. "He tried to...tried to..." she sobbed, burying her face into Tooru's shirt. She suddenly looked up at him with a wicked grin.

"Tried to get me all turned around," Masa said with a pout.

Tooru burst out laughing, pushing the brunette away from him. Mikoto, sitting on the floor, sighed.

"Don't you two ever quit?" he grumbled. "Tooru was going to make me carry all of these." He gestured to the wide array of beverages with an unsatisfied expression.

"Why not? You don't carry your weight, so you may as well carry the drinks," Yuujiro said matter-of-factly.

Mikoto stared, mouth agape, at the blonde. His mouth quivered.

"Yuujiro! You're so mean!" the redhead wailed.

Masa and Tooru chuckled as they began to divvy out the drinks.

"Fourteen drinks and four of us," Tooru said with a sigh. "This isn't going to work well, is it?"

"Two people will have to carry four, that's all," Masa said with a shrug. "If we had brought our jackets with us we could have used them."

The four Princesses stopped as they heard footsteps coming down the hallway...at a rapid speed.

"Oh, you may want to move," Masa said sweetly as the other three tried to discern who was running towards them.

Tooru, Yuujiro, and Mikoto looked alarmed as they moved back towards the wall. As soon as they had, a blur whizzed past them, screeching to a halt.

* * *

Mitsuru grinned at them, his curly black hair waving around with the wind he had created. His blue eyes sparkled with mischief as he bowed to the Princesses.

"I figured you guys would need a hand," he said, glancing at the drinks. "And I was right."

"Come on, Mitsuru," two identical voices said. Fumio and Nori appeared at the end of the hallway, sighing.

"You know that it was Katsumi-san who thought of it," Fumio reprimanded the energetic boy.

"Besides, even if you did help them, the drinks would be all shaken up because you move so quickly," Nori pointed out.

Masa giggled. "Nori-san certainly has a point."

The three boys looked at Masa curiously. She flushed, suddenly self-conscious.

"What?" she inquired, tilting her head.

"I do believe that is the first time Masa-hime has actually properly said our names," Nori said with a smile. "It's rather nice."

"Hey, that's no fair," Mitsuru said with puppy dog eyes.

"I, um," Masa stammered, unsure of where this was going.

"It's not for want of trying, I'm sure," Fumio said, thumping the curly-haired boy. "They've all tried before, but they keep getting interrupted."

"That's true," Tooru said after a moment. "The number of times we've actually managed to talk to you one-on-one is rather slim."

"Well then," Yuujiro said with a sly grin. "We should simply have some _alone_ time."

Even Tooru blushed at that statement.

"Masa-hime," Mitsuru said, brought out of his moping, "how did you know which was which?"

"Which was which what?" Masa said, confused. She had been thinking about the time she had actually met these three outside of morning greetings and the soccer matches.

"The twins, the twins," the curly-haired boy said excitedly. "Usually I'm the only one that can tell them apart." He shoved the twins beside each other to show.

Indeed, the two were completely identical, down to the slightly askew bit of hair on the left side.

Tooru, Yuujiro, and Mikoto stared at the twins, who kept their poker face.

"I, uh, don't know," Masa said, taken aback. "It's an innate ability?"

Mitsuru's face lit up. "Well then, what if I did _this_?"

With that grand question, he shuffled the twins around so quickly that everyone was dizzy.

"Now who's who?" Mitsuru asked excitedly, like a child wanting a snack. "You're not allowed to talk, by the way," he said to the twins, who managed to keep their neutral expressions.

"You must be used to this," Tooru said to the twins in disbelief.

"I can't tell," Yuujiro said after a moment of close examination.

"Me either. Sorry, you two," Mikoto said apologetically.

"Masa-hime?" Mitsuru's blue eyes were bright with anticipation.

Masa's large, hazel eyes loomed in the twins' field of vision as she attempted to make a serious, thinking face.

"This one," she said dramatically, waving to the twin on the left, "is Fumio-san. Nori-san is, obviously, the one on the right."

The twins looked at each other, mildly surprised.

"That is, indeed, correct, Masa-hime," Fumio said with a smile. "Honestly, since we are the same age, you don't need to be so formal."

"Just Masa?" Tooru pouted.

"No," Mitsuru said hurriedly. "You can all be informal with us if you want."

"Well, then, F-Fumio-kun," Masa stammered, blushing. "I, um, this will take some getting used to. Thank you, Nori-kun, Mitsuru-kun. I hope we can all get along in the future." She bowed, cheeks still red.

Mitsuru sighed happily. "That sounds so nice."

Nori and Fumio looked at each other, raising an eyebrow in unison.

Yuujiro clapped his hands to get everyone's attention. "That is all good and well, but we ought to take these back before they get warm," he said with a gesture to the drinks.

* * *

The journey was much easier with the three first years' help, and soon they were back in the gym. Katsumi, Eiji, and Iwao were talking quietly in the corner, while the other four were sprawled out on the floor.

Akihiko sprung up when he spotted the group. "Ah, himes," he said with a bow. "I was afraid that they had attacked you."

Tsutomu, always the _tsukkomi_, leaned over and gave the blonde boy a shot to the shins, grinning. His brown eyes were full of mischief.

"You're the only one who'd try that, Ouji-baka," he said with a laugh, ignoring Akihiko's glare.

"Senpai was only thinking of the hime's safety," Takeo said defensively. "After all, they're..." He trailed off, frowning.

"Only in a school of girls?" Tsutomu interrupted. "They're far safer here than at _our_ school." He glanced at the Princesses. "Right?"

Masa had to give him that. They got stares, but that was because they're boys...this time.

"Hey, guys," Hiro drawled. "That may be true and all, but we're the only ones..."

The group waited patiently for Hiro to finish his sentence, but his face lit up, green eyes sparkling.

"Look! I found 500 yen," he said proudly, rolling onto his stomach and holding up the coin.

The team groaned.

"Use it to buy your way into the Hime's good graces," Mitsuru said with a laugh, then glanced askew at the Princesses.

"Oi! I saw that look!" Akihiko said, leaping up. "What sort of things did you do to them?" He grabbed the energetic first year and put the curly-haired boy into a headlock.

"Akihiko-senpai, I believe he cannot respond as you are currently cutting off all oxygen to his brain," Fumio said after a moment of staring at Mitsuru's face.

"That looks like the case," Nori said wisely. "You'd best let go, senpai, or else..."

"Or else what?" Akihiko demanded, frowning.

"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU ALL DOING?" Eiji boomed, startling everyone. Masa and Tooru let out squeaks of surprise, and Katsumi looked like he was trying very hard not to laugh.

"We're just...uh, just talking," Akihiko said, eyes wide.

"Oh really?" Katsumi said with an innocent whistle. "I'm pretty sure Sanchi disagrees, now that he can breathe."

Indeed, Mitsuru was coughing and making all sorts of threatening gestures towards the blonde.

Iwao just sighed, rubbing a hand over his face. He walked up and grabbed the two boys around the shoulders, looking hard into their eyes. Akihiko and Mitsuru quivered a bit before turning and quickly apologizing to each other.

Katsumi lost it and started laughing, leading to Iwao shooting the redhead a questioning glance.

"Never mind, Icchi," Katsumi gasped. "Forgot how intimidating you could be."

The quiet senior looked rather sad, making Masa feel sorry for him. Trotting up to him, she held out a drink. It was rather amusin, seeing as how Iwao topped Masa by a foot and a half.

"Here, take it," Masa said with a disgruntled expression. Yuujiro raised an eyebrow at her tone of voice, but she just looked up at the senior.

"I just...It's not like I picked it out especially for you or anything," Masa said hurriedly, turning away. "What kind of senpai looks so sad? So here, take it." She thrust the peach juice in Iwao's general direction, avoiding his eyes.

Large hands took it gently from her hands, and Masa felt her hair ruffle. She glanced up and saw Iwao smiling at her, and she grinned.

"That's more like it," she said and skipped back to the other three Princesses, who were staring at her.

The other soccer members were grumbling about Iwao's special treatment.

"Tsundere much?" Tooru inquired, flashing a smile.

"Shut up," Masa said, running a hand through her hair. "I just remembered Chihiro mentioning how Iwao-san likes sweet things."

"I would have thought he'd be more of a...dunno, manly eater?" Mikoto wondered. Yuujiro punched the redhead lightly on the shoulder.

"Says the guy who dresses like a girl."

Mikoto's wails were ignored as the Princesses went about giving the other team members their drinks. Moments passed where the only sounds were those of cans being opened and quiet, idle conversation. Masa sprawled on the ground, enjoying the feel of the cool wood against her cheeks.

"Well, I think we've had enough of a break," Tsutomu said after everyone had finished their drinks. Glancing at his watch, he stretched. "Shall we get back to it?"

"But we only have the four of them again," Hiro said with a quizzical expression.

"And that is how we're going to practice with rotating partners. It's not like you'll all be tied to one person all night, you know," Tsutomu chided. "All right, let's start out. Iwao-senpai, Katsumi-senpai, and Eiji-senpai, you can dance with..." He paused, looking the Princesses over. "I guess we'll go Masa-hime, Mikoto-hime, and Yuujiro-hime," Tsutomu said after a moment.

"Why?" Mitsuru piped up.

Tsutomu looked away, muttering something.

"Pardon?" Nori and Fumio inquired in tandem, grins lighting their faces.

"I just...wanted to see how Masa and Iwao would dance," Tsutomu said after a long moment. "They're quite...vertically diverse."

"He's short and he's tall?" Tooru said with a grin. "Nicely done, Sensei."

Everyone got a chuckle out of that, even Iwao. Masa gave a half-hearted smile as Tsutomu started the music, and the practice began again.

* * *

At three o'clock and two breaks later, Tsutomu clapped his hands loudly to get everyone's attention. Gasps were coming from most of the team, and even Fumio and Mitsuru were looking worn out.

"Well, I believe you're all passable dancers," he said with a grin. "Let's leave it at that. God forbid you all go out with muscle cramps or something."

"This ought to be nothing compared to what we go through with Ecchi and Nicchi," Katsumi said after taking a deep breath, grimacing as he rubbed his calves.

"Dancing works different muscle groups," Fumio pointed out. "I, for one, am going to be glad to get out from beneath these lights."

Indeed, the stage lights had been beaming down upon the group, adding extra heat they didn't need.

"Fair enough. Let's do some cool-down stretches and then we can head out. I'll let Miwa-chan know." He sat and stretched, easily reaching his toes. Masa chuckled at watching some of the members attempt the same stretch.

She was surprised at Eiji, Iwao, and Katsumi's flexibility. Catching her stare, Katsumi winked.

"We need to stay limber to keep up with the young 'uns," Katsumi said with a drawl as he winced. Masa chuckled as she, too, tried to ease the pain in her legs.

"This is probably the most exercise I've gotten all year, aside from judo," Masa said as she wiped her forehead. "I feel so out of shape."

"I _wish_ my out of shape looked like yours," Tooru grumbled. "How can you eat so much and stay like that?"

"Excellent metabolism," Masa said with a cheery grin. She tried to dodge Tooru's half-hearted swing and fell back, giggling. "I'd kind of like to see a roly-poly Tooru."

The blue-haired boy paled. "Don't even _think_ that!"

"Why? The more people that believe something, the more likely it is to occur?" Masa jumped up, trying to touch her toes. "If that was the case then Mikoto'd be a proper Princess by now."

Ruby eyes shot Masa a glare, which she promptly ignored.

"Anyway," Yuujiro said with a sigh, standing up. "We should all be getting on our way. By the time we get back classes will be over anyway."

This was met by a group cheer.

"However, just because we happen to be out of school does not mean we expect you to slack in your studies," Masa said, hazel eyes glinting. "We shall be severely disappointed in you if your grades drop due to us."

"They might even cancel the Princess Project because we're too distracting!" Tooru stared at the soccer team, sapphire eyes woeful.

"Then we'd never get to cheer you on again," Yuujiro said sadly. Masa elbowed Mikoto, who looked downcast.

"I wouldn't mind," he mumbled, but at another jab from Masa let out a long sigh. "I would certainly enjoy it if you all got good grades," the redhead said after a long moment.

"All right, Himes, we'll be good boys and study," Katsumi said with a wide grin. "At least let us escort you to campus."

"I suppose that's acceptable," Yuujiro said with a toss of his hair. He had put it back into a ponytail after much grumbling. "Let's be on our way, then."

The ten soccer members and the four Princesses hustled to the train station. Luckily, the train back to Fujimori wasn't crowded.

Masa sighed heavily as she watched the scenery fly by, wishing that time wouldn't pass quite so quickly. Yuujiro was in a heated discussion with Takeo over music, while Mikoto stared broodingly at his feet. Tooru was dozing, and the other team members were talking amongst themselves.

As if sensing her melancholy, Tooru leaned until his head was touching Masa's shoulders. It was a bit of a stretch, seeing as how his height was about four inches taller than hers, but he draped his arm on the windowsill for extra support.

"What do you want?" the brunette grumbled. Turning her head, she was slightly taken aback by his large sapphire eyes, which were studying her intently.

"You want to meet up later?" he asked quietly. "I can help you."

Masa's blood ran cold. Did he know...?

"You obviously aren't comfortable with dancing yet," the blue-haired boy continued. Masa relaxed, adrenaline pumping from that sudden moment of panic.

"That would be fantastic, Tooru," Masa said suddenly, hazel eyes shining with warmth. "Thank you."

Tooru grinned. "Whenever you need me, I'll be there."

Masa raised an eyebrow.

"_Almost_, anyway." Tooru chuckled and sat up, stretching. "How about in the courtyard? Lots of room. I'll ask Tsutomu-san if we can borrow his stereo."

Tsutomu, hearing his name, glanced over his shoulder. "Sure. Just bring it back when you're done." He kept his voice low, aware of the consequences if someone were to hear a Princess wanting "extra practice".

"How are we getting changed if all of our stuff is over at Kiba?" Yuujiro said after a sudden realization.

"We've got it covered," Tsutomu said with a mysterious smile. After three curious gazes met his eyes, he laughed. "The troupe of Kiba girls are coming to Fujimori before the banquet, seeing as how they're invited as well," he said, brown eyes dancing. "So you don't need to worry about taking the train in those outfits."

The Princesses visibly relaxed at that comment, and they went back to their silent ponderings, Masa wondering just how this was going to work out.

* * *

Back at Fujimori, the Princesses and the soccer team parted ways. Yuujiro practically ran back to their rooms, Mikoto hurrying as well. Masa and Tooru took their time, walking in a comfortable silence.

"So," Tooru said after a long moment. "Top three?"

"What genre?" Masa shot back.

Tooru thought on this for a moment. "Slice of life."

"Easy," the brunette said with a grin. "Yotsuba&! takes first place, but Beauty Pop and Kimi ni Todoke are close."

"I see." Tooru nodded appreciatively. "I do enjoy Yotsuba&!, but Honey and Clover is my top choice. Hidamari Sketch is a fluffy story as well."

Masa grinned. "You can tell the type of man by the books he reads," she said pompously.

"We should continue this discussion later. Here, follow me." He led the brunette around the corner of the courtyard into a shady, secluded spot. Tooru set the stereo down and pressed play, bowing over Masa's hand.

"Shall we dance?"

Masa nodded, and the two began to waltz.

While Masa had improved, she was still struggling. As Tooru reached to steady her during a sidestep, Masa's instincts kicked in.

Tooru found himself on the grass staring up at the sky, a shocked and alarmed Masa leaning over him.

"Oh my god, are you okay?" Masa asked frantically, looking Tooru over for any injuries. "I don't know what happened, I just-"

Tooru put a finger to her lips, stopping Masa's babbling. "I'm fine. Just a bit winded." He paused, breathing deeply.

Masa's eyes widened. "Ah."

Tooru sat up slowly, not liking the sound of that. "Ah what?"

"I just remembered why my dad didn't let me dance."

"Does it have anything to do with that random throw?"

"Yeah. I was so hardcore into judo at the time, that anytime anyone touched me I automatically judo-tossed them." Masa's face fell. "I...what if I do that at the banquet?" Worry creased the brunette's face. Tooru stood up, then put an arm around her.

"Hey, you never threw any of the other guys," Tooru pointed out. "Maybe you're too hot and bothered?" He quirked an eyebrow mockingly.

"You wish," Masa said, laughing. "I think I've learned all that I can." She paused, then dusted Tooru off. "Sorry about that."

"While unpleasant, I now know how Kaoru-kun feels," he said with a small smile. "You're quite strong."

Masa shrugged. "I guess."

* * *

With that, the two returned to the P-Room, the clock ticking away the time before the banquet...


	14. Part Thirteen: At Last, We Dance

_(Teji Note: Holy crap, 3500 views and counting! Thanks so much to everyone who's still reading this great wall of text! With this, I've finished upwhat I like to call the "Soccer Arc", and we can now move on...though I'm sure it will be impossible to keep Katsumi away. *shifty eyes* Drop me a line if you'd like! :3 )_

Part Thirteen: At Last, We Dance

"Everybody, sooner or later, sits down to a banquet of consequences." -Robert Louis Stevenson

Masa stood uncertainly in the home ec room, shifting her weight from foot to foot. She was all dressed up, hair done perfectly, and almost confident in her dancing skills. Tooru and Mikoto appeared in the doorway, looking impeccable.

"Ready to go, Masa?" Tooru inquired.

"I...suppose," the brunette sighed. "I'm actually rather nervous."

Mikoto's ruby eyes looked woefully at Masa. "Welcome to my daily life."

"You'd better not fold under pressure, either of you," Yuujiro's voice floated through the doorway. "I'll beat you both if you embarrass us."

"Us?" Masa asked curiously. "Are we using royal terms now?"

"Don't forget the Board Director is going to be there," Yuujiro reminded her. "This could well determine whether or not the Princess Project continues."

"Thanks for that, Yuujiro," Tooru said dryly. "I hope our existence doesn't hinge upon our performance. That may not end well for these two."

Masa and Mikoto were looking quite ill.

"Chin up now. There will only be a few dignitaries at the banquet, and they already know about the Project. The award ceremony shouldn't last long. We just need to worry about dancing...and not spilling on our dresses." Yuujiro did a twirl, dress flowing around him. "Shall we? I think the Kiba girls are already there. We're all at different tables, but we have nameplates."

Yuujiro paused, thinking. "Tooru, you're with Hiro-san. Masa's with the twins, Mikoto has

Tsutomu at his table, and I'm sitting with...Akihiko." He sighed, looking tired already.

Masa laughed at his reaction. "He really seems smitten with you."

"Too bad, 'cuz he's all ours," Tooru said, snuggling up to the blonde.

Mikoto rolled his eyes and stared at the floor.

"Let's go, while we have our courage," Masa said, grabbing Mikoto's hand and dragging the unwilling redhead down the hall, the other two Princesses following after.

* * *

The hum of conversation could be heard outside of the gymnasium, the doors unable to block out all sound. Masa, still holding Mikoto's hand, paused at the doorway. Drawing a deep breath, she opened the doors, blinking in the light.

The gym's raised stage had a podium and a long table set up, six chairs sitting at it. The wooden floors were polished and shining brightly under the light. Round tables were set up around the gym, though no one was sitting yet. People stood around chatting; most were adults.

Masa wondered where the Kiba girls were, since they had all disappeared after helping the Princesses get ready. She looked at Yuujiro, who shrugged.

As Masa was pondering this, a voice on her left side nearly made her jump out of her skin.

"Ah, Himes," a tuxedoed figure said in mild surprise. Masa turned and came face-to-face with Fumio, an amused look on the tacturn boy's face. "I am sorry, I did not mean to startle you."

"It's okay," Masa said after taking a moment to collect herself. Looking around, she saw a lot of Fujimori students in formal attire. "Why are there so many students here?"

"They took on waiter duties in order to be able to dance with you," Nori said with a small smile. "The duel was rather impressive. I believe the Student Council had a hand in it."

The Princesses shivered. They could imagine what would prompt that.

"Speaking of which, I believe Arisada-san would like to speak with you," Fumio said, after glancing towards a group of people. Indeed, the glittery Student Council president was waving them over. "I will take my leave of you." Bowing to the four Princesses, Fumio trotted off.

They approached Arisada with caution, averting their eyes to avoid the Blinding Aura that he gave off.

"Ah, welcome, welcome," Arisada said enthusiastically. "You all look _fantastic_. Natasho-san was upset that he couldn't design your outfits, but the fashion show is currently taking up much of his time." His green eyes swept over the four, critically examining them.

"I must say, Akane-san and Mio-san did quite well. Remind me to thank them." Nodding to himself, Arisada turned and murmured something to Wataru, who gave a grin before covering it with his hand. "That being said, I do hate to keep you. Please keep in mind your duties. I'm sure you will uphold the reputation of the Fujimori Princesses."

"Do...does everyone here know we're guys?" Mikoto asked in a small voice.

Arisada, taking pity on the poor redhead, nodded. "Well, aside from the award presenter. But it should be fine, right?"

"I...guess." Mikoto sighed and fiddled with his loose curls, looking quite downcast. Female voices got louder as the Kiba girls entered the gym, dressed to the nines. Chihiro glanced at Masa, giving the brunette a wink as she sat down. The other girls dispersed to their tables as the Fujimori boys appeared, also taking their seats.

The Princesses sat as well. Masa, Fumio, Akane, and Nori were seated together; Akane gave Masa a devilish smile.

"How nice," she purred, blue eyes shining. "I get to keep Masa-kun to myself."

Fumio and Nori looked quite put out, and astonished, at that statement. Masa herself shivered.

The third-year giggled, sweeping her curly locks out of her eyes.

"I'm kidding...for now." She glanced up at the stage, where the main banquet table was. The principal was speaking with a middle-aged man in a brown suit who seemed a bit nervous as they sat down.

The room bustled with activity as the Fujimori students prepared, the guests slowly filtering in and sitting down. Many people Masa didn't know were here, some of them important-looking.

As if noticing her gaze, Akane leaned over.

"Those are scouts," she whispered into Masa's ear. The brunette nearly leapt out of her seat, heart racing in shock. "Those three idiots are quite talented, despite their failings at dancing."

Masa grimaced, and Fumio gave a small grin.

"What?" Masa demanded, glaring at the twins, who had given each other knowing looks.

"You have improved a great deal, Masa-hime," Fumio said. Nori gave her a thumbs-up.

Masa had a sneaking suspicion they were being slightly sarcastic. As if reading her mind, Fumio shook his head.

"I am serious, Masa-hime. You have been stepping on my feet a lot less lately." He paused, eyes widening as he realized what he had implied. Nori's face twitched.

The brunette stared at him, then started giggling, muffling her laughter behind her hand.

"I'll take that as a compliment," she said after she calmed down. Even Akane had a smile, eyes glittering with amusement.

"Ah, here come the men of the hour," Akane said suddenly.

The noise level had slowly died down, most people quietly conversing at their tables, when the doors suddenly boomed open, startling everyone.

The three third-years appeared, Eiji looking rather sheepish at the noise. They were dressed magnificently in complete tuxedos, down to their brightly polished shoes.

Eiji had a dark green tux, and he fiddled with his buttons as he walked to the main table. Iwao looked like he hadn't noticed how all talk had stopped at their arrival, stoic as always in his black tux.

Katsumi moved smoothly, as if he were in water, a half-grin on his face. His bangs, usually held up by his headband, were clipped neatly behind his ears. His dark blue tuxedo contrasted with his red hair, and he seemed to enjoy the attention. As he passed by Tooru, he whispered something that caused the blue-eyed boy to blush and look down.

Once the three were at the main table, another man appeared. He was tall and imposing, carrying an air of authority with short, black hair and serious brown eyes. He stopped and spoke quietly to the principal, then moved to the microphone stand.

"That's the school board's Director," Nori whispered. Masa nodded as the man cleared his throat.

"Welcome, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen, to this prestigious occasion. A student at Fujimori has been recognized for his excellence in soccer and granted the award of the National Most Valued Player. I congratulate Eiji Tanaka-san, and would like to ask Takagi-san, the representitive of the National Athletics League to say a few words."

The man bowed and sat, a smattering of applause meeting his speech. The smaller, portly man sitting beside the principal stood up, hurrying to the stand.

"I would like to gladly present this award to Tanaka-san, who has shown leadership, enthusiasm, and a great love of soccer. We wish him luck in future endeavours and hope he can continue pursuing the sport." He glanced over at Eiji, who beamed.

Eiji stood up, chair scraping along the floor. Everyone winced, and he flushed.

"Sorry, sorry," he said, rubbing his short hair. He stepped up to the microphone, adjusting it so it was at the proper height, then inhaled.

"Friends, family, teammates. We have been through a lot together; rain, wind, an uncomfortable amount of training. Through it all, we perservered, and I wouldn't be here today if it weren't for the amazing people on my team. As captain, I'm proud to say that I have seen firsthand the growth of our younger members, and am sure they will make the Fujimori Falcons that much stronger in my absence. I'm humbled and honoured to accept this award, knowing that my team has had my back the entire time. Without them, I wouldn't be here. I'd also like to thank our cheerleaders, who have been a ray of sunshine even during the hardest practices. We put our all into every game, and I believe we should all share in this moment. After all, our medals for winning the nationals haven't arrived yet. In closing, I want everyone to know"-here, his warm gaze encompassed the entire team-"that I truly appreciate the time we've spent together, and that I'll always treasure these memories. Thank you."

Eiji rubbed at his eyes, mumbling about bright lights as wild applause, and a whistle coming from Katsumi's direction, thundered around the room. He accepted the award with the obligatory handshake/photograph, a Blinding Smile of Joy on his face, then sat back down.

The principal took the stand once more, the ruckus dying down as he cleared his throat.

"With that, I would like to invite the guests to help themselves to the food. We'll start with the head table, obviously, then move to this end of the room"-he gestured to the left, making Masa groan-"and will go from there. Thank you very much, and there will be photos afterwards. The dance will commence after."

The sounds of chairs moving quickly overtook any additional words the principal was speaking, and he eventually gave up and joined those already in line at the buffet tables.

* * *

As Tooru stood up, shaking his skirt out, Katsumi came up behind him.

"You look fantastic," the redhead whispered. Tooru jumped, blushing.

"Senpai, stop it," Tooru whispered urgently. "People are looking!"

Katsumi laughed, arms encircling the blue-eyed boy. "Let them look. I'm not ashamed. Are you?"

His green gaze unnerved Tooru, who looked at his feet.

"I-I guess not," the Princess of Spring said after a long moment.

"Good," Katsumi said with his usual cheerfulness. "After all, I want to be your first."

Masa, who had been coming up behind them, stopped dead in her tracks. Her eyes widened as she stared uncomprehendingly at the two.

"Dance partner, that is," Katsumi said with a wink and a whistle as he slipped off to bother Eiji.

Tooru watched him go with a confused and embarrassed look on his face. Masa slipped her arm into his, leaning in to whisper in his ear.

"He's quite the charmer, eh?" Masa whispered with a devilish grin. Tooru shook himself out of his stupor and elbowed Masa.

"Doesn't matter one bit," he said, nose in the air. "We're sought after by all."

Masa just laughed and shooed the blue-haired boy on, wondering about how _that_ was going to work out. She was quickly distracted, however, by the elegant and lavish feast.

Baked, vegetable-stuffed chicken breasts, three salads, mixed vegetables including mushrooms, corn, peas, and broccoli with a savoury sauce, roast beef and gravy, two kinds of pasta, and a seafood platter met Masa's wide eyes. She almost gasped in awe.

"This is a grand feast indeed," Fumio said from behind her. She whirled, face alight with glee.

"I can't believe it," she said, bouncing on her feet. "I think I'm going to cheer a lot harder for all the teams if we get to eat like this every time!"

Fumio looked at her bemusedly before chuckling. "I suppose that is a rather good incentive?"

An arm suddenly found its way across Masa's shoulders. Akane smiled at her with a bit of a wolfish glint in her eyes.

"I see Masa-kun enjoys this," she said, waving an arm lazily in the direction of the food. "If you'd like, I can..."

Mitsuru, as if sensing his sister's intent, suddenly appeared behind her and dragged her away. Masa blinked, then shrugged and turned back to the food.

* * *

While Masa was infecting those around her with enthusiasm, at another table the tension was rather high.

Yuujiro and Chihiro were glaring at each other as the rest of their table stood. Akihiko, having been attempting unsuccessfully to get Yuujiro to join him, took Kyoko's arm and the two made their way to the buffet. Mitsuru was chatising his older sister, who simply grinned and winked at Masa.

"Your eyes haven't left Masa," Chihiro said in an undertone. "Suddenly you're seeing her as a girl? Do you have any idea what that's doing to her psychologically? She was fine until this damn dance."

Yuujiro's golden eyes glinted. "I think that my being around her more than you has allowed me to sufficiently judge her emotional states," he shot back, though a bit disturbed at he and Masa's altercation at Kiba.

"You..." Chihiro began, then sighed, amber eyes closing. "Do you, dressed like this"-she waved at his dress, his hair, and his face-"really think you're _man_ enough to take her from me?"

The blonde leaned across the table, flicking Chihiro's forehead. Her eyes snapped open as she yelped, then clapped a hand over her mouth.

"I'm certainly more capable than _you_, tart," Yuujiro said with a smirk, standing and leaving Chihiro frowning at his back. Muttering to herself, the childhood friend rose and followed him, wishing she could get him alone so she could teach him a lesson.

* * *

After the amazing meal, ending with cheesecake, fruit tarts, and muffins, Masa sighed happily. Akane was staring at her with amazement.

"Masa-kun, where did you _put_ all of that?" she said with a smile. "One would think your petite stature wouldn't allow such large quantities."

The brunette looked suspiciously at Akane. "Was that a short joke?"

"We all hate him for it," Tooru said, coming up behind Masa and leaning on her. "He doesn't gain any weight at all, even though he eats like this _all of the time_."

Yuujiro nodded, and even Chihiro looked a bit put out.

"Why do you guys care?" Mikoto asked, frowning. "It's not like it matters."

Five pairs of eyes glared at him, and the redhead balked.

"What? We're _guys_, aside from Ito-san and Takahashi-san," he said, nodding in the two ladies' direction. "A little weight gain shouldn't matter."

"She should be about 100 pounds heavier," Yuujiro grumbled.

"A little weight gain can cause problems," Chihiro said wisely. "It usually goes to the worst places first. Besides, your dresses wouldn't fit properly, right?"

Tooru sighed. "Don't give Mikoto any ideas. Besides, he looks ravishing tonight. It'd be a shame if he were to, let's say, split his dress open."

Mikoto paled. "Don't even _think_ that," he growled. Chihiro giggled and looked around.

"It seems as if we're going to be clearing the floor," Nori said, appearing beside Akane. "May I ask you all to move to the other side of the room?"

"Only if you escort me," Chihiro said with a wicked grin. Nori bowed and took her hand, expression serious as ever. Chihiro's amber eyes flitted to Masa with surprise; Masa simply grinned.

As if sensing a challenge, the other soccer members quickly bowed and took the hands of the Kiba girls, who giggled and linked their arms graciously.

Masa was a bit intrigued at the couplings. Tsutomu and Miwa were chatting as they walked, and Masa noticed the grace with which they moved.

_Dancer's feet_, she thought wryly.

Akihiko managed to snag Yuujiro, and was happily escorting him. Yuujiro's expression was one of exasperation and tiredness, and Masa chuckled. Yuujiro, sensing her laugh, stuck his tongue out at her over his shoulder.

Kyoko and Takeo were deep in discussion, occasionally looking over at Shion, who was giggling with Karin. Hiro and Sayaka were talking music as they walked over.

Fumio appeared behind Masa, startling her. She let out a squeak, then glared at the stoic boy.

"If you would like, I can be your escort," he said with a smile. His brown eyes were rather serious, but Masa detected a hint of mischief behind them.

"I suppose," Masa said after scrutinizing the twin. They quickly joined the group of people, chatting and having drinks from a snack table.

As Masa stood idly by and watched the floor being cleared with practiced efficiency, Akira popped up beside her. Tapping her lightly, Masa nearly leapt out of her skin.

"Why does everyone feel the need to sneak up on me?" she asked irritably. Akira's green eyes were apologetic, and Masa sighed.

"Sorry. I'm a little on edge." She went to run her hands through her hair then stopped, remembering the fancy hairdo she had. Masa grimaced as Akira nodded wisely, then gestured. The board director, the principal, and Arisada were deep in discussion.

Glancing up, the Student Council President quickly waved the four Princesses over, straightening up and adjusting his tie.

"These are our Princesses," Arisada said with a Blinding Smile. "They are the inspiration for most of Natasho-san's creations, as well as part of the reason our soccer team was able to do so well. Director Uchida is the head of the Fujimori school board."

The intimidating man gave the four a once-over.

"Though I am new to the post, I am quite interested in how this Princess Project works, and if it works well." He bowed slightly, an acknowledgement Masa was curious about. Why would he care so much? Although it _did_ have a rather large budget.

Masa paled, thinking her lunch might be in danger, and resolved to be the best damn Princess she could.

"Tooru Kouno, class 1-D. It's a pleasure to meet you, sir. I am known as the Princess of Spring." He curtsied, head bowed in respect.

"Yuujiro Shihoudani," Yuujiro said, giving the board director a Blinding Smile. "Class 1-D. I hope we are able to meet your expectations. I'm the Princess of Summer." He also curtsied, golden eyes curious.

The board Director's gaze remained impassive as he watched them, and Masa was a bit unnerved.

"Mikoto Yutaka, class 1-B," Mikoto said with a slightly lackluster tone. "The Princess of Autumn. Nice to meet you." He bowed and missed the thoughtful expression that crossed the Director's face, but Masa saw it.

The brunette gave a deep curtsey, praying she wouldn't fall over.

"I'm pleased to meet your aquantiance, sir," she said politely. "Masa Inoue, class 1-D, the Princess of Winter."

The Director nodded curtly, then turned to the principal, who had been speaking with Arisada.

"I would like to set up appointments to speak to these boys so I can discuss this...project...with them." He waved at the four Princesses, who were doing their best to stand up straight. "As well as Arisada-san and Natasho-san."

"Of course, of course," the principal said, wringing his hands nervously. "What would work best for you?"

The board director rubbed a hand over his chin, thinking. "How about Wednesday, at 1pm? After the lunch break?"

"That would be splendid," the principal assured him. "Now, let us go discuss the upcoming events..."

The principal took the Director back to the head table, and the group relaxed. Masa let her breath out in a _whoosh_.

"Interesting," Arisada said quietly. "Usually the school board lets us be, for the most part. Then again, he recently gained the position, so things may change."

Mikoto got a hopeful look on his face, but it was quickly replaced by a scowl as Tooru lightly elbowed the redhead.

"You'd lose your source of income to buy presents for Megumi-san," Tooru teased. Mikoto flushed and gave the blue-haired boy a Look, which Tooru promply ignored.

* * *

After a bit of bantering between the Princesses and Chihiro, who had wandered over, the band had set up and the tables had been cleared. Masa trembled, all of her gusto over lunch slowly ebbing.

As if sensing her nervousness, Tooru reached out and squeezed her hand.

"You'll be all right," he said assuredly. "No judo throws tonight. I can feel it." His blue eyes twinkled, and Masa gave him a weak smile.

"I'll do my best," she said with a sigh.

Fumio trotted over, beaming at her. "May I have this dance, Hime?"

"Of course. It's the least I can do, after putting up with _these_." Masa gestured to her feet with a laugh, any hint of discomfort gone from her face.

Just as Tooru was marvelling at her ability to change expressions so quickly, Katsumi had bounced over with a huge grin on his face.

"I was serious about being your first," he said with a laugh. "Tocchi, may I have the honour of your accompaniment for this waltz?"

His green eyes were serious, contrasting with his light tone of voice. Tooru, a bit unnerved, stammered something unintelligible. Masa gave the boy a nudge.

"Go on, have fun," she whispered. Katsumi winked at the brunette, then took Tooru's hand and led him onto the dance floor.

As other people moved to the floor, Masa could feel her heart thumping. She felt as if everyone was watching her, _judging_ her...

Fumio leaned in, concern in his brown eyes. "Are you all right, Masa-hime?"

"I'll be okay," she said after a long moment. "I need to get over myself, that's all."

"You are fine the way you are, I think," Fumio said thoughtfully. His sincerity made Masa blush.

"Thank you," she said, smiling. Fumio looked a bit surprised. "What?" Masa asked, patting her face. "Do I have cake on my face or something?"

"That was...quite different from your usual smiles," the twin said curiously. "A real smile, perhaps?"

"Real nervous," Masa said wryly, going over the steps in her head. "Please take care of me."

"Of course." Fumio bowed, Masa curtsied, and the music began.

* * *

Mikoto was sitting glumly at a table, having refused several Fujimori students' offers to dance. He knew he was being childish, but the thought of being in front of all those people, dressed like _this_, made his stomach twist.

Yuujiro poked the redhead's cheek, causing Mikoto to jump.

"You and Masa are rather high-strung today," the blonde observed with a glint in his eyes. "Why are you moping over here?"

"I can't do it," Mikoto said quietly, looking down. "I just _can't_."

"You have to."

The tone in Yuujiro's voice brooked no argument.

"The Fujimori students took on these jobs just to dance with us. Are you going to deny them the entire reward of this evening? Plus, the school board director is here, and if you refuse to dance we could very well lose the funding for the Project, in which case I will _not_ forgive you." Yuujiro's golden eyes narrowed. "And do you want all that dance practice to go to waste? At least dance with the team members."

Mikoto sighed heavily, then rose.

"Atta boy," Yuujiro said, giving Mikoto a hug. "The dance won't last that long anyway."

Hiro, who had been sitting nearby, stood as well.

"Mikoto-hime, I'd love to dance with you," he declared, leading the redhead onto the floor. Mikoto's eyes pleaded with Yuujiro, who simply shook his head, then snickered.

His attention was quickly diverted with a tap on his shoulder. Akihiko was looking at him, blue eyes serious.

"May I have this dance, Hime?"

Yuujiro inwardly sighed, but nodded. As they began to dance, a question rose in his mind.

"You're quite popular, Yamasaki-san," Yuujiro said, golden eyes curious. "Yet I've never seen you with a girlfriend. Why not?" Realizing what he said, he hurriedly added, "Of course, I don't mean to pry. Sorry. Forget I asked," the blonde backpedalled.

Akihiko considered the question as they glided across the floor.

"You're right, I don't have a girlfriend. I have a fan club," he said with a wry smile, "but that's quite different. They idolize me, and I know if I were to date one of them I would certainly fall short of their expectations, which would end terribly for all involved." He paused, thinking. "Most of the girls I meet are far more interested in my looks. They want to show me off, prove their social status by snagging "the Prince of Fujimori". I want someone who likes me for _me_, you know? I don't want a shallow, half-assed relationship."

Yuujiro looked at Akihiko, respect shining in his eyes. He had originally pegged the blonde as a narcisstic playboy. As if sensing the shift in attitude, Akihiko raised an eyebrow.

"No," Yuujiro said instantly. Akihiko laughed as the song began to wind down, and the two blondes had an enjoyable chat as they moved off of the floor, ignoring the attention they garnered.

Both were used to it, apparently.

* * *

Masa stared in amazement at her feet, which had only betrayed her twice so far. She was _dancing_, and actually succeeding. No judo throws or anything.

"Take that, Dad," she muttered, grinning from ear to ear.

Fumio was beaming at her proudly. "Tsutomu-san will be quite pleased," he said with a grin. Masa returned the smile with relief as they went and got drinks, gratefully sitting down. She massaged her ankles with a wince as Tooru joined her.

"Where's your partner?" Masa inquired, wiggling her eyebrows. "I saw Katsumi-san making faces at you during the speeches."

Tooru laughed and thumped her, nodding in Eiji's direction. Iwao, Eiji, and Katsumi were surrounded by people, the captain's booming laugh echoing around the room.

"Scouts?" Masa's hazel eyes were curious as she leaned back.

"I wonder if they'll go to a sports-oriented university?" Yuujiro wondered, coming up behind them. He tilted his head, pondering. "Though I don't think there are any near here. Has anyone asked what their plans are?"

"Graduations over half a year away," Tooru said indignantly. "They probably haven't decided for sure yet."

Masa spotted a hint of sadness in his sapphire eyes, and gave him an impromptu hug.

"Let's get drinks," Masa declared, linking her arms through Tooru and Yuujiro's. "Before we're dragged off again, as our partners seem to have moved on."

The number of boys looking at them had increased dramatically after the first song, and now it seemed they were working up the courage to ask. Many of the Kiba girls were flying around with grace, as if they had done this their entire lives. Masa watched with envy for a moment, then sighed and returned to reality.

At least she hadn't fallen flat on her face. Or tossed anyone.

"Score one for me," she muttered, ignoring Tooru and Yuujiro's questioning looks. "Let's hope I keep it up."

* * *

Mikoto thanked Hiro after the song and sighed, preparing to be bombarded with dance offers. Staring morosely at his feet, the redhead fervently wished he was back at the dorms, hanging out with Kaoru.

He paused, a thought occuring. Kaoru was leaving soon, right? He was going to go ask Masa, when a hand on his shoulder made him pause.

Large ruby eyes met warm brown ones as Kaoru, as if summoned by Mikoto's thoughts, smiled at the redhead and took his hand.

* * *

Kaoru had been debating whether or not he should actually go, the ticket and decision weighing heavily. He stared broodingly at the tuxedo, weighing the pros and the cons.

Pros: He'd be supporting Eiji-san.

-He could dance with the Kiba girls (Chihiro aside).

-Free food, though he didn't have Masa's appetite.

-He could spend time with Ayafuya.

Cons: Debt to Arisada-san (high possibility)

-Having to wear a tuxedo

Seeing Mikoto dressed up...

Pro...

Or con?

Deciding to think it over, he quickly left the P-Room and went to the track, finding that exercising helped him sort out his problems. As he quickly settled in to his rhythm, he found his thoughts wandering to Mikoto.

He _did_ want to spend more time with the redhead before he went back. Though this event probably wouldn't be the most optimal. He wondered what Mikoto would look like in a gown, but couldn't picture it.

Mikoto's smile rose unbidden in his mind, and he shook his head to try to clear it.

He failed completely.

As he berated himself over his indecisiveness, he stumbled and hit the ground. Not hard, but enough to snap him out of his daze.

"That's it!" he roared, startling some students walking near the track. "I'm going! Arisada-san, Ayafuya, and Chihiro-chan be damned!"

That having been said, he raced to the P-Room to get changed; the banquet would start soon.

* * *

"K-K-K-" Mikoto stuttered, unable to comprehend what was going on. "Kaoru-kun? What-when-where-"

"Who and how?" Kaoru said with a grin, still holding Mikoto's hand. "I guess I can start from the top. When: I came in just before Eiji-san and the others. Where: I was sitting over with the Photography Club members. They're really excited to take your guys' pictures, you know. And thees ones won't be for sale unless it's a _specific_ request from one of the people here."

Mikoto looked a bit relieved at that statement, relaxing a small amount.

"As for what I'm doing here, well..." Kaoru trailed off, blushing slightly. "I figured you'd be a bit more comfortable with someone that knows you...better..."

The fluffy-haired teen trailed off, running a hand through his hair, which had retained all of its poofy glory.

Mikoto stared at him for a moment, then blinked.

"Kaoru-kun. When are you leaving?"

"On Sunday, I think. Why?" Kaoru's brown eyes were curious as he led the redhead onto the dance floor.

"We should hang out before then," Mikoto said with a small blush.

"I agree completely," Kaoru said, unable to take his eyes off of Mikoto. It was like he was looking at another person entirely, which for some reason made him a bit more comfortable.

This feeling slightly disturbed the teen, but he ignored it and focused on dancing, trying to come up with something to say.

"Your hair looks nice. That clip is a good accessory," Kaoru blurted. "It goes really well with your dress."

"Thanks," Mikoto said shyly. "I thought it would all look a bit weird, but...it doesn't, I guess."

"Nope." Finality was in Kaoru's voice as he shook his head. "Well, I mean"-the teen stammered, trying to crawl out of the pit he had dug himself into-"for the whole Princess thing."

Mikoto gave a small chuckle, looking up at Kaoru. The redhead stumbled, yelping as he nearly fell.

Kaoru quickly caught him, his hand on the small of Mikoto's back.

Ruby eyes and brown ones met, and they both looked away while Kaoru helped Mikoto up.

"Be careful," Kaoru chided after a moment. "You don't want to go over on your ankle again."

Mikoto brightened. "I didn't think of that. Damn," he pouted as the song ended. "That would have been _perfect_."

"Nice try, Miko-chan," Yuujiro's voice floated over. "We would have had Miyagi-sensei check it out."

"Can't blame a guy for trying," Mikoto grumbled. Tooru, Yuujiro and Masa came over, startled to see the teen in full tux.

"Kaoru-kun, you look _dashing_," Masa purred, snuggling up to her brother.

"You should dance with me next," Tooru said with a pout, striking a pose. "It's not fair that Mikoto's the only one you pay attention to. There are all sorts of girls here," Tooru said quietly after a moment of thought.

Indeed, Chihiro was trotting over, eyes alight with glee. Kaoru's eyes widened and he quickly grabbed the blue-haired boy's hand, dragging him onto the floor.

Chihiro made a face, then turned to Masa.

"I think Tanaka-san wants to talk to you, Masa," she said, nodding in the direction of the team captain. "Then I heard that glittery guy talking about pictures."

"All right. Have fun, and no fighting," Masa said, giving the two a serious look.

Of course, Masa's serious face wasn't all that serious, so Yuujiro and Chihiro started laughing, leading to the brunette stalking off, grumbling.

* * *

"Ah, Masa-hime," Eiji said, waving energetically to the Princess. "These are my parents, and this is my younger brother, Jirou."

His father looked much like Eiji, with the same large build and booming voice as he greeted Masa. His mother was delicate as she smiled, then glanced at the youngest Tanaka.

A small, dark-haired boy was staring at Masa, eyes sparkling.

"You're the Hime?" he asked excitedly. "You look just like Onii-san's pictures!"

Masa shot a questioning glance at Eiji, who laughed and rubbed his head.

"He has them in his room," Jirou whispered conspiratorally, leaning in. "Not a lot, but I've seen them." He paused, straightening up. "You're just as pretty as I thought."

"Thank you, Jirou-kun," Masa said, giving him a toned-down Smile. "I appreciate it."

The brunette curtsied as the realization of that fact dawned on her.

People were buying _pictures_ of her.

What if she had slipped up?

That thought stuck in the back of her mind as she excused herself, making a beeline to Chihiro. Yuujiro, seeing her approach, stuck his tongue out at Chihiro.

"...try, you tart."

Masa caught the tail end of Yuujiro's sentence as he accepted a Fujimori student's offer to dance, and saw the glint in Chihiro's eyes.

Chihiro looked over at Masa, and her amber eyes quickly changed from firey to concerned.

"You look tired, Maa-chan," she said quietly. "Not normal tired, either. How have you been, really?"

"Could be better," Masa admitted. "Haven't been getting a lot of sleep lately, what with this and all." She gestured weakly towards the dance, massaging the bridge of her nose. "I can sleep after class tomorrow, though."

"Hmm. You ought to go see the doctor, just in case." Chihiro sighed and hugged her friend, and Masa leaned in to that embrace.

"Thanks, Chii. I will. Besides, now that I know you're not that far away, we can hang out and stuff."

"And stuff." She grinned. "I can't _wait_ to play around with you."

Hazel eyes widened in alarm as Masa disengaged herself from Chihiro's questing arms, sitting up quickly. Luckily, Mitsuru showed up and offered to dance with Masa, Takeo taking Chihiro's hand, and they danced.

Four songs later, the photography club members had gathered the soccer team members together and were directing them to "stand here, turn this way, too far".

The Princesses giggled at watching the soccer team, so graceful on the field, fail so hard at taking simple directions.

After taking a few shots of Eiji and his family, the entire team, the three seniors, and the first string members, the club members glanced over at the Princesses.

Katsumi instantly had Tooru's hand and had dragged the blue-haired boy over.

"Tocchi and I," he said with a grin.

The photographers shrugged and, realizing that the Princesses knew what they were talking about, were all smiles after that.

Photos abounded: Tooru and Katsumi, Eiji and Masa, Akihiko and Yuujiro, Mikoto and Takeo.

After realizing that they could have pictures with Masa, Nori, Fumio, and Mitsuru snagged Masa and grinned widely, quite pleased with themselves.

The photography club finished up with shots of the four Princesses together, then were getting ready to pack up when Mikoto stepped away, quickly grabbing Kaoru.

"I want a picture with you," the redhead said quietly. Tooru, spotting this, quickly put a hand on the photographer, who nodded.

"Are you sure?" Kaoru said, blushing as Mikoto dragged him into the frame.

"Yes." Mikoto's tone matched Kaoru's earlier, and the two showed True Smiles for the camera.

Masa beamed as she chatted with Iwao, though it was more Masa talking _at_ him than _to _him. The stoic senior had still barely said anything, though Masa could usually tell what he was thinking from his facial expressions. Chihiro came over and somehow managed to translate for him, much to Iwao's amusement.

"It seems she's been doing this for a while," Masa observed with a grin. Iwao nodded, then gave a sigh. Masa giggled at that.

"I know," she said with a smile as she stuck her tongue out at her childhood friend. Iwao laughed, a deep sound that startled everyone.

"Holy cow, he laughed," Katsumi said in surprise, then clapped Masa on the back. "Well done, Mochi." He paused, green eyes pondering. "I just realized...I've never heard you speak up in class, Icchi."

Iwao gave the redhead a sly grin.

"You bastard!" Katsumi laughed, smacking the tall senior on the shoulder. "How the hell did you manage that?"

"Language, idiot," Eiji said, chopping Katsumi on the head. Katsumi winced and gave a quick, apologetic grin.

"Now, now, little bro knows better than to emulate Katsumi nii-chan, right?" Katsumi ruffled Jirou's hair, who grinned.

"Of course not," he said sweetly, mischief twinkling in his eyes. "Nii-san has a lot of things for me to catch up to."

Eiji ignored the raised eyebrows of the group around him and motioned the team to gather around him.

The Princesses, sensing this was a private moment, helped the photography club with some of their lighter equipment. Masa noticed the Director had left, as had the Student Council.

Akira appeared beside her, carrying a portable strobe. "How did you find the dance, Inoue-san?"

"It was better than I had originally anticipated," Masa admitted, rubbing her eyes. "I didn't toss anyone, either," she muttered with a sigh.

Akira blinked, but wisely decided not to press the issue. "The school board director seemed pleased with your performance."

"Oh?" Masa perked up with curiousity. "What were your thoughts on the issue?"

Akira paused, green eyes considering Masa's question. "I believe you all did quite well, considering the pressure and short notice."

Masa beamed at Akira. "Thank you very much. I also appreciate your help in getting my brother the proper attire for this occasion." Her hazel eyes drifted over to Kaoru, who was arguing with Tooru and Yuujiro while Mikoto stared at his feet.

Following her gaze, Akira smiled. "It was no problem at all. Plus, I believe I managed to...lessen...the amount of debt Inoue-kun would have to pay."

Masa shivered, not having thought of that. "How did you manage that?"

"A lot of bribing," Akira said with a wry smile.

Masa wondered just how much Akira was involved behind the scenes, but her thoughts were quickly scattered when someone hugged her from behind.

She twitched, overcoming her natural instinct to judo throw, then relaxed slightly.

"What do you want, Chii?" she asked tiredly. "We're almost done."

"I know, Maa-kun," Chihiro said in a lilting tone. "I was just wondering if you wanted to hang out on Saturday. You know, _just the two of us._"

Masa could feel Yuujiro's glare, and the brunette sighed.

"Sure, why not? I need to go shopping anyway." Masa pulled away from her friend, then gave her a suspicious stare. "Why are you being so sweet?"

"What, I can't be so overcome with joy at meeting my childhood friend in a chance encounter that I invite him out?" Chihiro's amber eyes glinted mischieviously.

Masa suddenly realized the ease in which Chihiro changed the pronouns in Masa's name, and was a bit disturbed. Only for a moment, though, as the other three Princesses and Kaoru had came over. The rest of the Fujimori team and the Kiba girls also walked over, and soon Masa was surrounded by noise as they all walked out of the gymnasium.

"This isn't so bad," Masa murmured as they walked into the open air. The sky twinkled with stars, the moon casting its all-knowing eye over the world. She thought she may have a solution to the problem of her changing, but a lot of it depended on factors beyond her control.

An expression of resolve crossed her face, spotted by Yuujiro. The blonde sidled over to her after a quick (suspicious) glance for Chihiro.

"You're pondering," he accused. Masa's hazel eyes stared at him in amusement.

"Maybe."

"You are a riddle wrapped in an enigma packaged in a Rubik's cube," Yuujiro grumbled.

Masa laughed, leaning in.

"A girl's gotta have _some_ secrets," she whispered, and the blonde blushed as she skipped ahead, laughing merrily.

"Some of them more secret than others," Yuujiro grumbled, then hurried to catch up with the group.


	15. Part Fourteen: Past and Presents

Part Fourteen: Past and Presents

"Friends...they cherish one another's hopes. They are kind to one another's dreams." -Henry David Thoreau

Masa collapsed into her bed, groaning muffled curses as she laid face-down.

"What was that, Aneki? I couldn't hear you over all the _glitz_ you've still got around you." Kaoru's voice was tinged with devilish intent, and she could _hear_ the grin on his face.

Without turning, she threw her pillow at him, but judging by Kaoru's gleeful laugh she missed.

"I am so tired," the brunette grumbled as she rolled over, rubbing her eyes. "And tomorrow I'm meeting Chihiro, which is guaranteed to exhaust me more." Masa sighed, then shot up. "Crap. Homework."

Unfortunately, she sat up a bit _too_ fast, and the room spun for a moment. Kaoru was suddenly at her side, holding her shoulders.

"Are you okay, Masa?" Kaoru asked, a hint of panic in his voice. "Have you been taking your meds?"

Masa waved him off after a moment, regaining her senses. "Yeah, I'm okay, and yes, I've been a good girl." She gave him a smile, then slowly stood and stretched. Kaoru watched her with wary brown eyes as she sat at her desk, turning on the lamp and getting out her math text.

She worked quietly for half an hour, getting a decent grasp on the complicated formulas that usually evaded her. Eventually, though, she rubbed her eyes tiredly and put her head on her desk.

"Can't do it no more," she muttered, looking over at Kaoru. The fluffy-haired teen was sitting on the other bed, reading a magazine. "What're you doing tomorrow, Kaoru?"  
"Dunno," the teen said with a shrug. "I was thinking about going for lunch, but I don't really know anywhere good to eat."

Masa paused, thinking. "Please tell me someone is going with you."

Kaoru glared at his sister.

"You have the Inoue sense of direction," Masa pointed out. Kaoru sighed, then reluctantly nodded his head in agreement.

"I'll find someone," he grumbled. "You have the day off tomorrow, Aneki?"

The brunette pondered this for a moment. "Yeah, it's Showa Day. I should probably get my homework done."

Kaoru laughed at her disgruntled expression. "What, you aren't good at _any_ of those subjects?"

"I'm okay with biology, but math still completely eludes me."

"How did you get into this school?"

"Hard work and dedication?" Masa raised an eyebrow, leaning back in her chair. Her eyes strayed over to the clock, the red numerals flashing that it was time for bed.

"A'ight, bed time." She flapped her hand at her brother, who burrowed under the blankets as she quickly changed into her pyjamas. "Text me when you know what you're doing, okay?"

"Yessir," Kaoru mumbled, and soon the two Inoue children were fast asleep.

* * *

Morning came all too early for Masa's liking. She swatted her alarm clock before rolling over in an attempt to get a few more minutes of sweet, sweet sleep.

A rap on her door quickly shattered that hope.

"Come on, Masa, you're going to miss breakfast," Tooru's voice floated through the door. Kaoru opened an eye, peering blearily at his sister.

"You better get goin'," he mumbled sleepily. Masa sighed, rubbed her eyes, and quickly struggling into her black long-sleeved shirt with the black and white-striped sleeves, and black jeans. Opening the door, she ran a hand through her hair as she yawned mightily.

"It's our day off," Yuujiro said, exiting his room with a sigh. "Why do you look so lackluster?"

"Stupid math," Masa grumbled as Tooru tried to fix her hair.

"So you and the tart are going shopping?" Yuujiro asked. His sparkly aura blinded Masa, and she grimaced.

"Yes, and turn that damn sparkle off."

Yuujiro just laughed at her as he grabbed his bag. "I have to leave early, I'm meeting up with some of the photography club members after breakfast." He was quickly out the door, and Masa realized that he hadn't looked her in the eye.

Tooru deemed her done and they prepared to leave, but Masa stopped at the door.

"What's up?" Tooru inquired quizzically.

"Mikoto?"

"He's too worn out, I guess," the blue-haired boy shrugged. "Didn't respond when we knocked. We know better than to open the door."

Masa pondered on what that meant as the two left for the dining hall, but her worries were quickly erased with a good meal. As they wandered around campus, she and Tooru chatted, the students were enthusiastic, and her day quickly returned to normal. There was a lot of good-natured ribbing towards those that had been at the banquet, and a lot of gleeful descriptions of the Princesses and the dance (much to Masa's dismay).

As she was sitting on one of the picnic tables, pondering what she all needed to buy, footsteps alerted her to someone nearby.

"What?" she inquired without looking up, having started a shopping list. Yuujiro sighed at her lack of surprise.

"Tooru and I were going to go out for lunch, you want to come with?" His golden eyes glinted with mischief. "Figured we ought to get some time in with you before the tart gets her claws in."

Masa rolled her eyes at Yuujiro, but nodded her assent. On the way back to the P-Room, she pondered over the next problem on her list:

The issue of changing.

She thought of an idea, but she'd have to run it by Arisada-san first, and honestly, she didn't feel she could handle the Student Council's Blindingness. Putting that thought on the back burner, she absently put a light jacket on and changed her shoes.

Emerging slightly disheveled, she realized she hadn't seen Kaoru, or Mikoto. She quickly sent her brother a text, inquiring as to where he'd gone.

"Who're you texting?" Tooru asked curiously, peering over her shoulder.

"Kaoru-kun. Dunno where he went," Masa said. Yuujiro blinked.

"He's probably lost," they all chorused, then laughed.

* * *

On the way off campus, Masa stopped rather suddenly, causing Tooru and Yuujiro to bump into her.

"What, run out of steam?" Yuujiro quipped, tilting his head. "Does your metabolism know no bounds?"

Tooru elbowed the blonde in the ribs. "I _wish_ I had metabolism like him," he grumbled. "I have to exercise daily."

"Me too," Yuujiro sighed.

Masa had been standing stock-still while the two bemoaned their weight, then put a hand to her neck. She paled and rubbed her eyes.

"Masa?" Tooru asked, alarm in his voice. "Are you okay?"

The brunette hunched her shoulders, hand still on her neck. After a moment, she exhaled loudly, straightening up.

"Yep, I'm fine," Masa chirped. "Breakfast wasn't sitting well."

Tooru gave her a suspicious look before sighing. "Okay. Come on, I know a great soba place. We gotta take the train for a bit though."

Trotting ahead, Tooru missed Masa's wince as the brunette rubbed her chest, but Yuujiro spotted it.

"Masa," the blonde said warningly.

"I'm okay," Masa said, hazel eyes serious. "It was just a flutter. Happens sometimes."

"Have you told Miyagi-sensei?" Yuujiro demanded. Masa waved a hand at him.

"I have to see him later, so I'll let him know." Masa ran to catch Tooru, leaving Yuujiro and his questions behind. Grumbling, the blonde followed behind.

[Chihiro]

Yo, whatcha up to?

[Masa]

Going to a soba place. Tooru apparently knows a good one.

[Chihiro]

Where at?

[Masa]

We need to take the train, so a ways away I guess?

[Chihiro]

Ah, I bet it's the one in Usuki. How about I meet you guys there?

[Masa]

Why not?

Tooru glanced over Masa's shoulder, curious. "Who are you texting so fervently in the morning?"

"Chihiro," Masa said absentmindedly. "I guess she'll meet up with us."

"Hell no," Yuujiro said instantly.

"Why not?" Tooru inquired, blue eyes glinting with mischief. "She and Masa were going shopping anyways, remember?"

"That tart is always around you now," Yuujiro muttered. "What if-"

"-you want some Masa time?" Tooru finished with a laugh. "I know how you feel, but hey, childhood friend means high potential for girlfriend, you know?"

Masa chuckled. "That does seem to be a common direction. All I need is a rival for my affection and I am the main character in a romance."

"Or a poorly-written fanfiction," Yuujiro grumbled, gazing up at the sky.

Tooru and Masa both ignored him as they walked to the station, Masa listening with interest to Tooru's description of the soba. Once they arrived, Masa was pleased to see that it had outdoor seating, as it was too nice a day to sit inside.

As they pulled up chairs, Masa's eyes flicked restlessly around the restaurant. The waiter came by, and Tooru grinned.

"I'll have the _sansai_ soba, and he'll have the _wakame _soba. Yuujiro?"

The blonde hummed, looking at the sky. "_Currynanban_, please."

As the waiter scurried off, a rowdy group of boys came over, glaring at the people around who were staring at them.

"What're you lookin' at?" one barked, and the nearby tables shrank back.

Masa sighed wearily as the three boys came over to their table. Putting her head down, she missed the looks exchanged between the boys and her two friends.

"You!" a voice exclaimed.

"Ah!" Tooru's startled voice prompted Masa to glance up, and she heard Yuujiro laughing hysterically.

Her jaw dropped as she looked upon the two deliquents that had accosted them outside of Kiba high school.

"Didn't you learn the first time?" Masa demanded, glaring at them. "Do I need to beat it into your heads? Stop bothering people that haven't done anything to you!"

Atsushi looked apologetic. "Sorry, Inoue-han."

"Han?" Tooru said with a snicker. Yuujiro rolled his eyes and slouched in his chair, watching Masa intently.

"Besides interrupting people's meals, what are you doing here?" Masa's hazel eyes flashed, and Atsushi shivered.

"We came to pick up some food, obviously," the third boy said with a disdainful sniff. "Are we not allowed?"

Tooru's eyebrow quirked as Masa twitched at the tone in the boy's voice. He had short, short black hair and narrow brown eyes.

"I never said that," Masa said finally, sighing. "You just need to stop making trouble is all."

Atsushi and Dai nodded wisely, then went to go grab their food. The third boy stayed behind, eyeing Masa up. He muttered something under his breath, then followed the other two.

"You seem to be popular," Yuujiro noted, stretching. "I'll be right back, I'm going to use the washroom." The blonde rose, leaving Tooru and Masa alone.

"Why does this sort of thing always happen to me?" Masa moaned, rubbing her temples. "Why can't they all just find someone else to pester?"

"You have that sort of personality, Masa," Tooru said with a grin. "You attract troublemakers."

"Don't even say that," the brunette grumbled. "It'll come true."

As if on cue, a pair of hands covered Masa's eyes. She twitched violently, barely resisting her reflexive judo, and a lilting laugh came from behind her.

"Sorry, Maa-chan," Chihiro said, raising one hand apologetically. "I haven't seen you in so long, I forgot about your judo powers."

Tooru grinned and gestured for her to sit down. "So, Takahashi-san, I can't _wait_ to hear about Masa's exploits. Have you ordered already?"

"I acutally came with my nii-chan and his friends, so yeah. Oh, there they are. Oi, Onii-chan," Chihiro called, waving.

Masa looked over and heaved a very large sigh.

Kenta, Iwao, Atsushi, Dai, the other boy, and Chihiro's brother were sitting together. One of them looked up, beamed, then waved, quickly making his way over. Kenta and Iwao followed, after Kenta glared at the three boys.

"This is interesting," Tooru said with a laugh. "How the hell did that come to be?"

"Let's see. Masa, myself, and Onii-chan were neighbours. Iwao-san lived a ways down the street, but Masa and Kaoru never hung out with him, since he was Nii-chan's friend. Kenta lived on the corner, in the dojo."

"What kind of lies are you speaking, Chii?"

Chihiro's brother swept long bangs out of his eyes, shaking his head. His amber eyes were doleful as he glanced at Tooru and Masa.

"Hi, Masa," he said with a smile. "Who's this fellow?"

Tooru beamed at being acknowledged as a guy. "My name is Tooru Kouno. Nice to meet you."

"Masashi Takahashi. Pleasure's mine." He ran a hand through his messy hair as Kenta and Iwao came over. "A reunion! We can reminisce and talk all day."

Iwao shook his head as Kenta chopped Masashi on the head. "Enough o' that. They're busy 'n all, and I s'pose _this_ one is here ta cause trouble too."

Chihiro stuck her tongue out at Kenta, but Tooru and Masa laughed.

"My sweet little sister cause trouble? Whatever are you talking about?" Masashi said, clutching his heart in mock shock. "She's the epitome of grace and loveliness!" He dissolved into chuckles, dodging his sister's attacks.

Iwao snickered as Masa looked up at the tall senior.

"I didn't know you knew Kenta nii-chan, Iwao-san."

He nodded, then rolled his eyes. Masa laughed.

"I know how you feel. They're trouble magnets, for sure."

Sapphire eyes stared at Masa, causing her to turn to Tooru. "What?"

"Are you a mind reader?" Tooru demanded, gesturing to the silent Iwao. "I don't understand how you can tell what he's thinking."

"We have a common bond," Masa said thoughtfully. "We both know those two, and I'm sure Iwao-san has kept them out of trouble far more than myself."

Yuujiro appeared, glaring at Chihiro. "Why are there so many people all of a sudden?"

Chihiro bowed, then gestured. "Iwao, Kenta, and my brother, Masashi. You three, this is Yuujiro Shihoudani."

"We've met," Kenta said with a grin. Iwao nodded his assent as well.

"So what are you doing with those three, Bancho?" Masa said teasingly, glancing in the direction of the three boys.

"We're on our way t' Ume school. We have a judo tournament today." Kenta sighed, rubbing his eyes. "Atsushi 'n Dai decided ta join the club, which makes my life a hell o' a lot harder. T'other one is Minowa Akaike. He seems ta be a bit jealous o' ya, so keep that in mind." Kenta's voice dropped on that last statement, causing Masa to quirk an eyebrow.

"Why?"

"Seems the other two got ta mentionin' yer exploits the last time ya ran into 'em."

"Oh." Masa mulled this over for a moment, then grinned, causing Kenta to groan.

"I know that look," Masashi said with a laugh. "Chii gets the same face when she's about to cause problems."

Masa stuck her tongue out at Chihiro's brother, then hugged Kenta. "I'll be okay."

Tooru stared at Kenta, then suddenly started laughing.

"What?" Kenta demanded, eyes flashing.

"You looked so...soft. Completely goes against your eyes." Tooru chuckled, and Masa giggled too.

"He's gotten into so much trouble for things he hasn't done because of his looks," Masashi said with a sigh. "Iwao and I are the only ones keeping him from a life of crime."

"That's enough outta you," Kenta said. "Nice seein' ya. Dad was pleased ta hear about how ya haven't let yer skills slack _too _much. Keep outta trouble, ya hear?"

"Of course." Masa shooed the three seniors away, grinning. "Same to you."

Yuujiro sat quietly as the noisy group left, Chihiro having grabbed her food during the discussion. The waiter arrived soon after, and the four quickly got down to eating.

* * *

"That...was..._amazing_!" Hazel eyes sparkled with delight as Masa finished the last of her soba. "Tooru, why didn't you tell me about this before?!"

"You never asked. Man, this place is always awesome." The blue-haired boy grinned, leaning back in his chair. "Thoughts, Yuujiro?"

"That was pretty good," the blonde admitted.

"When Maa-chan mentioned soba, I figured you'd be going here. Made my life a lot easier, since Nii-chan and the others were coming in this area anyway." Chihiro grinned, then turned to Masa. "Shall we be off, then?"

Yuujiro glared at Chihiro but stayed silent as Tooru hid a smile.

"We'll leave you two alone, since I have things to do here." He winked at Masa, then dragged Yuujiro away. "Have fun!"

Masa waved as the two left, then turned to Chihiro. "What are you planning?"

"Me? Nothing. Not a thing. Nope." Chihiro beamed angelically at the tiny brunette. "We're just going to go shopping, since I'm pretty sure you need clothes and stuff."

"How'd you know?" Masa inquired suspiciously.

"I have my ways." The two left the restaurant, and Chihiro turned to Masa. "Have you figured out what you're going to do?"

"I think so." A troubled expression crossed her face. "It depends on the Student Council."

"Mmm. I see." Chihiro decided to leave it at that, knowing her friend would tell her the details when she thought it was right. "Let's go into this store!" She gestured to a frilly clothing store, much to Masa's dismay.

"What?! Why? Are you _trying_ to reveal my identity?"

"Oh, come off it. They aren't following us. Besides, I got Akane-san to loan me this." From the depths of her purse, Chihiro revealed a wig with a flourish. Long, curly locks obscured Masa's vision as Chihiro leapt onto her friend.

Two minutes and a lot of squirming later, Chihiro nodded triumphantly, producing a compact mirror.

Masa could hardly believe it was herself. Even when she'd had long hair (not for long, mind you) it had always been relatively straight. Her Princess hair was also straight, though her normal hair was quite messy.

Now, however, glorious jet-black curls hung loosely around her shoulders, framing her face. Masa stared at the girl in the mirror, touching her face in bemusement. Coloured contact lenses had changed her hazel eyes to deep, deep blue.

"Let's go," Chihiro said happily, tugging the dazed girl into the store. Upon entering, they were quickly fawned over by the staff and ushered into dressing rooms.

Chihiro emerged wearing a light, summery dress, pale yellow ruffles swishing as she twirled. "Look, look, don't I look great?"

Masa grinned weakly. "You sure do. This...seems completely different from the Princess dresses, though."

She was wearing a blue-and-white striped halter top dress, the bodice having horizontal stripes while the skirt having vertical. a blue hairband, a blue rose necklace, and white strapped sandals completed the outfit.

"Twirl," Chihiro ordered, and Masa obliged. "Looks fantastic! We should totally buy it."

"I don't have that kind of money," Masa grumbled. "Didn't you want me to bake you something?"

Chihiro clapped gleefully, eyes sparkling. "Can I pick?"

"Sure, why not? We'll have to find somewhere to bake it, though." Masa mentally reviewed her finances as she changed out of the dress, putting it back with a hint of regret.

"Do you miss this?" Chihiro asked suddenly, looking Masa dead in the eye.

"I'd be lying if I said I didn't." The brunette sighed wistfully.

"Although I think you've worn more dresses since enrolling at Fujimori than I've ever seen you in." Amber eyes glinted with laughter. "You're learning to become a girl by being a boy!"

Masa groaned and lightly smacked her friend. "That sounds _terrible_."

"It's true though!" Chihiro skipped away, giggling. "Come on, you need to buy groceries. I want a cake, a cake!"

"What _kind_ of cake?" Masa asked, trotting behind. "You need to be specific."

Chihiro stopped suddenly, a thoughtful expression on her face.

"Dobos torte!" she declared after a long, long moment.

"Dobos torte? Really?" Masa said incredulously. "You know I'm probably the only one who'd know what you're talking about, right? Were you looking up cakes to make me bake?"

"Maybe," Chihiro said mischieviously. "I want to challenge your skills, that's all. And it sounds delicious." She almost drooled at the thought, causing Masa to chuckle.

"Fine. I have to buy basic necessites as well, so let's go to a grocery store first. Then we can wander and find the more difficult ingredients."

"I love how you know what's in it," Chihiro said with delight. "Let's go!"

* * *

While Masa was running around with Chihiro, Kaoru's day went quite differently.

He woke up groggily as a "thump" and a muffled curse escaped from outside. Shrugging sleepily into his black hoodie and jeans, he tottered into the hallway.

"Mikoto-san? Are you okay?" he asked, rapping cautiously on the door.

"Yeah, I'm fine." The door opened and Mikoto stood, looking a bit flustered. "My books fell off of the dresser when I bumped into it." The redhead winced and rubbed his head. "History text got me."

Kaoru blinked, then patted Mikoto's head. "Owie, owie, fly away."

Mikoto stared at Kaoru for a long moment, then started laughing.

"What?" the fluffy-haired teen demanded, hands on his hips.

"I never expected that to come out of you," Mikoto choked out between giggles. "My manly image of you is shattered."

Kaoru snorted. "I didn't realize you had a manly image of me."

Both Mikoto and Kaoru suddenly had the image of themselves at the banquet pop into their minds, and they both blushed.

Staring at the carpet, Kaoru shuffled his feet. "Did you have plans today, Mikoto-san?"

"Nope. You?"

"No."

An uncomfortable silence stretched between them as they avoided each other's eyes.

"Did you-"

"Want to-"

The two stopped mid-sentence.

"You go first," they chorused, then began laughing.

"Seriously, you go first, Mikoto-san," Kaoru said, straightening up.

"I was wondering if you wanted to go out? It's a rare day off, so I figured we could hit the mini golf course or something." Mikoto's cheeks flushed slightly, and he rubbed a hand over his face.

"I'd like that," Kaoru said with a smile. "I'm going to leave soon, so I want as many memories as possible with Mikoto-san."

Realizing how that sounded, Kaoru covered his face with his hands. "Why do these things never come out right?" he mumbled as Mikoto put his shoes on.

"Come on, come on, we only have a day," Mikoto said, extending a hand to Kaoru, and the sun lit their way as they trotted into town.

* * *

Half an hour and four holes in, Kaoru was having a fantastic time. He quickly learnt that Mikoto was easily distracted and took to heckling the redhead whenever he went to make a shot.

"Kaoru! Stop it!" Mikoto wailed as his third shot bounced off of the green. Kaoru grinned, making a face.

"I was just innocently whistling," the teen said, looking upwards. "Plus two. My shot now."

Mikoto grumbled as Kaoru went to putt, but stopped as he looked at the raven-haired teen.

"Hey, I just realized something."

"Oh?" Kaoru said, trying to focus. "What's that?"

"What kind of stuff do you like to do on days off?" Mikoto's face was interested as Kaoru took a careful shot.

"Not much, I guess. Read. Hang out. Run. I wasn't into drama like Ayafuya and my dad were." He sighed, running a hand through his fluffy hair. "He and I haven't really gotten along since I was younger."

Mikoto noticed Kaoru's expression darkening and quickly changed the subject. "Do you have any other siblings?"

"Nope. You, Mikoto-san?"

"I have an older sister." Mikoto shivered. "She's quite ferocious."

"I can't believe it," Kaoru said skeptically. "You're kinda timid."

"I'll show you timid!" Mikoto raised his club like a sword, brandishing it. "I challenge you to a duel!"

Kaoru looked around. Not many people were here, and the clerk was nowhere to be seen.

"I accept your challenge," Kaoru said, beaming. "I took fencing, you know."

"What?! No fair!" Mikoto shrieked as he leapt out of the way.

Kaoru's face was composed, but his mouth twitched as he tried to keep his smile hidden.

"You challenged the wrong man, Mikoto-san." With that, he swung his club. Mikoto managed to stop the downward trajectory, but just barely. With a _clang_, the clubs separated and the two sprang back.

"I think you're lying about fencing lessons," Mikoto said with a grin. "If you're not, you have very sloppy technique!"

"How would you know?" Kaoru demanded belligerently.

"I _also_ took fencing."

Mikoto's ruby eyes shone with mischief as he lunged and neatly disarmed Kaoru. Levelling the club at the teen's throat, he beamed.

"My point."

The clerk, having noticed the commotion, came over and gave the two a good talking-to. They listened sheepishly, but after a few moments of puppy dog eyes the clerk sighed and let them leave.

Kaoru laughed as they trotted down the mall. "I never took you for a fencer."

"You either." Mikoto tilted his head to the side, a thought occuring. "Where'd you live before, anyway? Is Kisaragi Tech close to your hometown or something?"

"Nah. Dad lives in Fukuoka, so it's about a three hour train ride." Kaoru's nose wrinkled at the thought. "I just wanted to not be there. I honestly don't think Kisaragi is for me," he sighed after a long moment. "I'm not having fun. Not like I do with you."

Mikoto smiled at the teen. "Then transfer to Fujimori!"

"I'm a second-year junior high school student, remember?" Kaoru said, laughing. "I'd have to be a genius to get into Fujimori anyway."

The redhead frowned, pondering. "What are you studying for?"

"Electrician, but after a couple of classes I think I'm not well-suited for it." Kaoru let out a frustrated groan, tugging at his hair.

"There's a middle school close by," Mikoto said, ruby eyes questioning. "Natsu School, I believe. It's like a half-hour train ride. They have a lot of different classes."

"How do you know that?" Kaoru asked suspiciously.

"I went there before Fujimori," the redhead said with a shrug. "Gave me a good enough education to get into Fuji."

Kaoru thought on that as they walked towards the food court, but his concentration was lost as the delicious smells hit his nostrils.

Mikoto, noticing Kaoru's sudden perkiness, spluttered as he tried to contain his laughter.

"What?" Kaoru demanded, brown eyes confused. "Why're you laughing?"

"You're so much like Masa!" the redhead gasped between giggles. "You both get so energetic around food!"

Kaoru stuck his nose in the air disdainfully, but after a moment began chuckling.

"I don't even know why," the fluffy-haired teen said wistfully. "It's like a switch gets turned on."

"I guess it's because of all the exercising you do?" Mikoto said, raising an eyebrow.

"Maybe." Kaoru eyed the stands cautiously. "What do you want to eat, Mikoto-san?"

"Doesn't matter to me." Mikoto gestured. "Choose what you want."

Kaoru gave every booth a thorough once-over before pointing.

"That is what we will eat," he declared.

Mikoto squinted at the sign for a moment. "_Bakudanyaki_? Have you ever had that before?"

"Nope!" Kaoru's eyes twinkled mischieviously. "But I'm always up to try something new. What, are you afraid, Mikoto-san?"

"Me? Afraid? You wish. Come on. I challenge you." Mikoto strode up to the counter, head held high. "I'll take the curry bakudanyaki, please."

"Wasabi for me." Kaoru popped up behind Mikoto, startling the redhead. "I'll pay for them both."

"What? No! I can pay my own way," Mikoto protested. "I wanted to eat out, remember?"

"Too bad," Kaoru said with a grin. "Go grab us somewhere to sit."

Mikoto stuck his tongue out at the teen, but trotted off. Kaoru sighed as the clerk made their food, watching the ingredients curiously.

Potatoes, onions, carrots, cheese...Kaoru quickly lost track of the amount of things put inside the large, takoyaki-style dumpling. Finally, the food was done and Kaoru paid the clerk, glancing around for Mikoto.

Three large guys were standing at Mikoto's table, obviously pestering him. Kaoru could see Mikoto's attempts to get them to leave were entirely unsuccessful.

Coming up behind Mikoto, Kaoru draped himself over the redhead's shoulder, brown eyes frosty as he looked at the two. He figured them to be third year highschoolers, judging by their size.

Their arrogant swagger pissed Kaoru off.

"Keep quiet, I'll handle this," Kaoru murmured into Mikoto's ear. The redhead nodded and sat quietly as Kaoru set the tray of food down.

"Can I help you?" Kaoru inquired, an edge to his voice.

"Oh, this one is pretty cute too," one of the guys said, nudging his friend. "How about you come sing karaoke with us?"

"No thanks." Kaoru turned and sat down, before one put his hand on Kaoru's shoulder. "You may want to get your eyes checked."

"You should rethink that," the guy said threateningly. "It's not often you get to hang with guys like us, you know?"

Kaoru suddenly grinned, and Mikoto shivered.

He'd seen that devilish smile before...on Masa, before she laid a whooping on those other guys.

Kaoru stood and smacked the one that had a hand on his shoulder, the guy's arm suddenly going limp. He stared stupidly at his unresponsive limb before Kaoru chopped his collarbone, sending the guy to his knees.

"This is stupid, let's get out of here," one said nervously, eyeing Kaoru. "This isn't worth it."

The three quickly fled, leaving Kaoru laughing.

"That didn't take much," he said after a long moment. Mikoto sighed, a smile playing on his lips.

"You saved me again," Mikoto said, a twinkle in his ruby eyes. Kaoru, looking at Mikoto's innocent smile, blushed and covered his face with a hand.

"Not a problem," he said quietly, and Mikoto gestured to the food.

"Didn't even have a chance to get cold."

"That's the way I roll," Kaoru said, and they both laughed.

* * *

"Pass me that other bowl," Masa directed. Chihiro obediently handed her a bowl filled with flour as Masa was beating egg yolks and sugar.

After a few moments, the mixture turned creamy, and Masa wiped her forehead. "That's always the hardest part," she grumbled.

Sifting the flour, she dumped it into the mixture. "Did you finish the egg whites?"

"Yep!" Chihiro proudly displayed her own bowl, and Masa could see the peaks above the bowl.

"Awesome. Gimme." Masa quickly folded the egg whites into the mixture, then sighed. "Here, grab two small round cake pans out of that cupboard." Masa pointed above the counter.

"As expected of Maa-chan," Chihiro said with a grin. "You know where all the baking stuff is."

"I suppose it is sort of odd, as this is on the third-year's floor," the brunette said with a sigh. "Our floor's common room isn't _nearly_ as nice."

"Oh?" Chihiro, intrigued, sprawled on the couch. "Who's your dorm leader anyway? How do you not get peeped on in the bath and things?"

"Tsuji-senpai ensures there are guards when we go to bathe," the brunette said, slightly embarrassed. "I think everyone else is afraid of what would happen if they tried anything."

"So you're being shared?" Chihiro snickered. "Sounds like you're quite popular."

Masa glared at her friend as she retrieved the pans, but Chihiro whistled innocently. Pouring a thin layer into one of them, she put it in the oven, quickly filling another. After sticking that one in the oven as well, she stretched.

"Now we wait for about eight minutes." Masa rubbed her eyes as Chihiro settled in on the couch, turning the TV on.

"This is a pretty nice setup you've got here," she said with a hint of envy in her voice. "We don't have a TV or oven in our common rooms." Turning to Masa, she pouted. "Why do you get such good stuff?"

Masa sighed, choosing to ignore her friend as she kept an eye on the oven timer. Soon enough it chimed, and she jumped up and quickly removed the pans. Dumping them on a cooling rack, she repeated this cycle twice more for a total of six layers.

Eyeing them up, she selected the best one for the top layer, then went about making chocolate buttercream. Sandwiching the remaining five layers together with the buttercream, she spread it over the top and sides. After making a caramel glaze, she poured it over the top layer, immediately scoring it and then cutting just the glaze into ten sections.

Chihiro watched intently. "Done yet?"

"Soon. Gotta let it cool, then I can put the top layer on the rest." Masa started running the water in the sink. "Help me with dishes?"

The door to the common room suddenly swung open, startling both Masa and Chihiro, who had started to get up. Masa let out a strangled squeak as her friend fell back onto the couch in surprise.

Katsumi, Eiji, and Tsuji were staring bemusedly at the two, but Katsumi quickly recovered.

"Mochi, Takahashi-san. What are you two doing in here? Aren't you afraid of being taken advantage of on the third floor?" Katsumi grinned, expertly dodging Eiji's chop.

"I'd be afraid of you," the tall senior said dryly. Turning to Masa, he inhaled. "That smells _fantastic_. Is that why you're up here?"  
"Yeah, Tsuji-san said I could borrow your oven occasionally. Sorry, I forgot you guys are studying for exams," Masa said apologetically.

"Don't worry about it, Masa-hime," Tsuji said with a small bow. "The smell is already reinvigorating Katsumi."

Indeed, the red-haired boy was peering intently at the cake. "What kind is that?"

"Dobos torte," Chihiro chirped. "Delicious and not at all nutricious."

"And Masa already knew how to make that?" Eiji asked with surprise. "I'm impressed."

"I do a lot of cooking," Masa said with a grin. "How's the studying going?"

"As well as can be expected," Tsuji said with a sigh. "I truly, truly hate calculus."

"Me too," the brunette said sympathetically. "I'd offer you some cake, but as it's Chihiro's..." Masa paused, glancing at her friend.

"I'd love to share it!" Chihiro shot a glare at Masa as the three seniors high-fived. Masa simply grinned, quickly serving the cake.

As they ate, Masa tilted her head to the side.

"You look like you have an inquiry, Mochi," Katsumi said, raising an eyebrow. Since his headband wasn't on, it was almost obscured by his long bangs.

"I was just wondering what you're all studying for." Masa gave them a Blinding Smile. "Is there anything I can help you with?"

"Probably not," Eiji said with a sigh. "Just keep our spirits up as we wade through."

"Ecchi wants to be a gym teacher." Katsumi elbowed the short-haired senior, grinning. "Tsucchi, what were you going to do?"

"I want to study economics," Tsuji said after a long moment.

"I have absolutely no idea what I want to do," the redhead chirped cheerily. "I'm just studying so I can show these guys up."

"Good luck with that," Tsuji said with a grin.

Eventually, the three seniors stood up, stretching.

"Thanks for the cake, Mochi." Katsumi groaned as he worked the kinks out of his back. "Sugar always helps my brain."

"It was delicious," Eiji said, grinning broadly. "You should cook more often."

"We appreciate it," Tsuji murmured with a smile. "We should really get back, though."

"Good luck!" Masa waved as the three left, then turned to Chihiro. "Well, Chii, shall we be going? I brought a container for the rest of the cake."

"You're always thinking ahead," Chihiro said with a laugh. "But only when it concerns food."

"That reminds me, I wonder how Kaoru's making out?" Masa pondered this, frowning. "I hope he has someone with him."

"You'll find out soon," Chihiro pointed out. "He'll have to come back for supper."

Masa nodded in agreement, running a hand through her hair. "Wanna come back to my room?"

"If that was anyone else asking, I'd be on my guard, but sure." The amber-eyed girl chuckled, holding the cake close to her chest. "I look forward to going through your stuff."

"What? No! Hey! Come back here!" Masa chased after her friend, who took off down the hallway, laughing maniacally. "You don't have the key anyway!"

Chihiro stopped suddenly, causing the brunette to smash into her back.

"True enough. Lead on, good sir," Chihiro said with a bow as Masa rubbed her nose.

Sticking her tongue out, Masa tromped down the stairs, Chihiro following her as they headed back to the P-Room.

* * *

As Masa dug through her pockets for her keys, Chihiro peered curiously down the hallway. "You guys have a shared bath, right?"

"Mhm." Masa frowned as she patted all of her pockets.

"How do you manage that?"

"There's shower stalls, and I have a super long towel. Tooru was jealous of its fluffiness. Yuujiro was too, at the time." Masa paused, hazel eyes thoughtful. "I wish there was a shower in our room, though."

"That sucks for sure." Chihiro stared at her friend. "What _are_ you doing?"

"I left my keys on the counter," Masa sighed. She ran a hand through her hair, making a face. "I'll be right back."

"Fine," Chihiro sighed. "Hurry up. I wanna poke around in your guys' rooms."

Masa grumbled, trotting up the stairs as Chihiro's merry laughter echoed behind her.

Moments later, though, the door outside the dorms opened and Tooru and Yuujiro appeared. Seeing Chihiro, Yuujiro made a face.

Tooru glanced from one to the other before sighing. "Does Masa know you're here?"

"No, I actually used my lockpicking skills to get into the dorm, but then failed at getting into your rooms," Chihiro said with a tinge of sarcasm, though it was dispelled by the grin on her face.

"I figured as much," Yuujiro snorted. "The tart does seem as if she'd have those kind of low-brow skills."

Chihiro jumped up and stuck her face in Yuujiro's.

"This tart _will_ thump you if you say too many things like that," she said in a low tone. More loudly, "Masa and I just got back from a _fabulous_ dinner with delicious cake."

The sound of thumping as Masa came down the stairs drowned out any further conversation. Noticing Tooru and Yuujiro, she glanced at Chihiro.

"What did you say?" the brunette inquired with a glare.

"Apparently you two had a wonderful time," Tooru quipped.

"Did she mention how I _made_ the cake?" Masa said with a long-suffering sigh. "Poor people learn to survive with what they've got."

Tooru and Yuujiro both stared at her in suprise.

"What, I've never mentioned my culinary prowess?" Masa quirked an eyebrow as she unlocked the door. "I can't imagine why it's never come up."

"I can believe that," Tooru said thoughtfully. "With the amount you eat, anyway."

"Shut up," Masa said, frowning adorably. "I'm still trying to get used to eating lunch. Before I had to survive on breakfast and supper."

Yuujiro shook his head while Chihiro watched them with fascination. Noticing her stare, Yuujiro sidled up to her.

"What?" the blonde asked suspiciously.

"I've never seen her like this," Chihiro whispered, amber eyes glinting. "It's interesting. Then again, I suppose it's good."

"Good?" Before Yuujiro got a chance to inquire further, Masa opened the door to her room, gesturing for them to go in. Chihiro skipped past the two boys, quickly claiming Masa's bottom bunk. Tooru and Yuujiro took the other side while Masa sprawled on the floor.

"Why do you always lay on the floor?" Yuujiro asked, after watching Masa roll around.

"It's an odd quirk, that's for sure," Tooru said with a laugh.

"Whenever I went to Chii's house, she'd always take the bed," the brunette grumbled. "So I got used to lying on the floor."

Chihiro laughed. "Not my fault you weren't fast enough. You should have gone for track instead of judo."

"Speaking of," Masa suddenly interrupted, "we saw Katsumi-san, Tsuji-san, and Eiji-san upstairs."

"Oh? What were they-and you, for that matter-doing?" Yuujiro frowned.

"Cooking, obviously," Masa said with exaggerated patience. "The third-year common room has an oven." Shooting a glare at Yuujiro, she finished her sentence. "The senpais were studying."

"I wonder what they're all going in for?" Tooru mused.

"Eiji-san is going into physical education. Tsuji-san is working towards economics, and Katsumi-san..." Masa trailed off, hazel eyes sparkling with laughter. "He has no idea."

Tooru sighed, shaking his head. "I can see that."

"What about you guys?" Chihiro asked abruptly. "What brought you to Fujimori?"

Yuujiro paused. "I figured this would be for the best," he said after a moment, golden eyes thoughtful. "It has the best dorm."

"I was having some problems before," Tooru said quietly. "My cousin and I weren't getting along all that well."

Chihiro blinked at the sudden, heavy pronouncement.

"Well, this place has the highest success rate for getting into a great university," Masa announced. "Which is why I picked it. Chii's going to become a fabulous hairdresser so she can make sure we all look our best."

The brunette struck a pose, causing giggles to erupt from the three.

"Masa...you really, really suck at that," Tooru said between chuckles. "Thank heavens for the photography club giving directions."

"Which one would think she would suck at anyways," Yuujiro said, bursting into laughter. "With directions and all."

This set them all off again, leaving Masa to pout.

"Speaking of which, isn't the fashion show coming up soon?" Tooru said suddenly. Chihiro's eyes lit up.

"Fashion show?"

"Oh god." Masa covered her face with a pillow. "Don't remind me," she groaned. "What exactly are we going to do?"

"Natasho-senpai is going to be busy, but basically all we're doing is a photo shoot. We're not doing runway." Yuujiro swept a long, golden bang out of his eyes. "The blitz seems to be going well."

"Explain," Chihiro demanded. Tooru, who had begun braiding Yuujiro's hair, glanced up at her.

"There's a fashion show next Saturday," the blue-haired boy said patiently. "It's to showcase Natasho-senpai and some other students' fashion designs for scouts. We're going to be participating as models. The Student Council decided that whichever students buys the most of each Princess' merchandise will get to attend the show." He paused, thinking. "100 students per Princess."

Chihiro whistled. "They must be rolling in dough."

"Probably. We also get a percentage of the profits, though." Yuujiro wriggled under Tooru's hands. "That tickles," he grumbled.

"Shh. Almost done." Tooru finished the braid, admiring his work. "Too bad I don't have a hair tie. You look _fabulous_."

Chihiro snorted. "I could do better than that with my eyes closed."

"Really?" Masa said with a grin. "You're willing to put your hairdressing pride on the line?"

"Of course," she said, nose in the air. "I'm not at Kiba for nothing, you know."

"Fine then. Let's go," Tooru said, a glint in his sapphire blue eyes. "Who will we use for hair models?"

Just as Tooru spoke those words, Mikoto and Kaoru appeared in the door.

Spotting Chihiro, Kaoru's brown eyes widened and he quickly tugged Mikoto back outside.

"What are you doing?" the redhead asked, glancing back at the four in confusion.

"Don't ask, just run," Kaoru said, sprinting outside. Mikoto, however, stood in the doorway for one moment too long.

Chihiro and Tooru pounced on him, and his shrieks echoed through the building...though no one took too much stock in it.

* * *

"Mikoto-san, why didn't you listen," Kaoru groaned from the safety of the first-year common room. "Chihiro always means trouble. Plus the look in Tooru-san's eyes..."

He shuddered, but eventually stood up.

"I have to stop them," he said determinedly.

_Why, though? _

_How was it different from when Masa used to get dragged into Chihiro's mad schemes?_

"Mikoto-san is so..." Kaoru paused, trying to think of the word.

He couldn't.

Having decided to go help (save) the poor redhead, Kaoru marched up to the P-Room and rapped on the door.

Chihiro opened it with a grin.

"Knew you'd come back," she sang, grabbing his arm and hauling him inside. Mikoto was sitting dejectedly in his room, Yuujiro grinning.

"It's been decided," the blonde said with a laugh. "Tooru will work on you, and Takahashi-san will be Mikoto's hairdresser."

"I'm not the tart?" Chihiro inquired, raising an eyebrow.

"I was _trying_ to be polite in front of Kaoru-kun," Yuujiro said dryly.

"Takahashi-san is too formal," she said after a moment. "Call me Chihiro."

Tooru trotted in, carrying a wide variety of hair tools. "This should do, right?"

Chihiro looked the products over carefully. "Yes, it'll work well."

"All right. You and Mikoto can work in here, I'll take Kaoru-kun to Masa's room. Half an hour time enough?"

"Pfft, I'll be done in fifteen," Chihiro said, sticking her tongue out at the blue-haired boy.

"I'll make you eat those words," Tooru taunted.

"Eat?" Masa poked her head in the door. "Are we talking about cake?"

"No," the three Princesses chorused. Chihiro and Kaoru laughed at Masa's sad expression, effectively releasing any tension caused by the competition.

"May the best hairdresser win," Masa declared, stomping her foot. The four quickly retreated into their respective rooms, leaving Masa and Yuujiro standing outside.

"Well." The brunette shuffled her feet. "Now what?"

Yuujiro shrugged. "Wanna go for a walk?"

Hazel eyes stared suspiciously at the blonde.

"What? We have half an hour. Or did you have other things planned for today?"

Masa paused, considering, then sighed. "No, I didn't. I figured Chii would take up most of my day, anyway."

"Here, let's go find a judge for the better hairstyle." Yuujiro tugged Masa out of the room, and the two wandered around the campus.

"Ah, it's Hiro-san and Akihiko-san," Masa said, spotting the two second-years. They waved, and the two quickly came over.

"Good afternoon, Himes," Akihiko said with a bow. Hiro was investigating a large bag he was holding, but he nodded with a smile at the two Princesses.

"What have you got, Hiro-san?" Yuujiro inquired curiously.

"I won the raffle at the mall," Hiro said with a wide smile, green eyes sparkling. "It's got all sorts of cool stuff."

"Lucky," Masa pouted. "I never win anything in those."

Yuujiro laughed at that. "For some reason, that doesn't surprise me."

Masa paused, looking thoughtful.

"Do you two want to judge hairstyles?" she asked, tilting her head.

Both Hiro and Akihiko stared blankly at her.

"Tooru and one of the girls from Kiba got into a hairstyling battle," Yuujiro explained with a sigh. "We can't really offer an unbiased opinion."

"Are we done with shopping, Aki?" Hiro asked, glancing at his friend.

Akihiko nodded, sweeping his hair back dramatically. "Anything for you, Yuujiro-hime!" he declared.

Yuujiro groaned quietly as Masa grinned. "Thank you so much, senpais," she gushed. "Please, come with us. You two don't live in the dorms, do you?"

"No, we both live at home," Akihiko said with a smile. "Hiro and I met in our first year. We were in the same class."

"I happened to win the photo frame that he wanted, and I didn't need it," Hiro said with a large smile. "We got to talking, and we have a lot of the same interests."

"Women?" Masa whispered to Yuujiro. The blonde snickered, but elbowed her in the ribs, causing her to cough.

"Lead the way, Himes," Akihiko said with a bow.

* * *

As the four walked back into the dorms, Masa idly watched the two blondes. Akihiko was chatting away with Yuujiro about the art club, and though he did his best to hide it, Yuujiro's golden eyes showed interest.

"Masa-hime," Hiro said, an inquiring look in his green eyes, "you seem to be quite enamored of Aki. You've been staring at him for a while now." He laughed as Akihiko turned around sharply, suspicion in his eyes.

"Another one succumbed to my dazzling looks," Akihiko sighed. "Yuujiro-hime seems to be immune, though." He glanced back at the blonde, who was sighing and shaking his head.

"I see enough pretty boys on a daily basis, remember?" Yuujiro said, rubbing his eyes. "You had quite a few women cheering for you at the soccer game, as I recall."

"I've gone out with a few of them," Akihiko said cheerfully. "It never seems to work out."

"Aki's tired of people going after him for his looks," Hiro whispered conspiratorally. "I think that's why he's so interested in Yuujiro-hime."

Noticing Yuujiro's glare in their direction, Masa hurriedly changed the subject.

"So Akihiko-san is in the art club. What about you, Hiro-san?" Her hazel eyes were curious as Hiro pulled out some knick-knacks from the bag.

"I'm in the math club." He examined a small, wooden figurine. It was of a penguin. "Where do they get these things?" he wondered aloud.

"How cute," Masa said with interest. "Is there a carver downtown or something?"

"Not that I know of." Hiro pondered that for a moment before shrugging. "Here, Masa-hime, you can have it. I don't really have space for it in my room." He held it out as Masa hesitantly took the tiny penguin.

"Really? Thank you so much, Hiro-san!" She gave him a Smile, but it was less Blinding and more Genuine. "Though I'll have to keep its origins a secret."

Yuujiro frowned. "It's true. I've heard that Mitsuru-san and the twins have been getting some flack for hanging around us so often."

"That's no good," Hiro said, tilting his head to the side. "We'll stand up for them if it comes down to that. We senpai can do some good for once!" He laughed, green eyes dancing.

"By the way," Masa said, Hiro's previous statement sinking in. "You're in the math club? Why?"

"Apparently I'm a statistical anomaly." Hiro shrugged, as if this were a normal thing. "They figure if I ever gamble I can make a fortune."

"But you'd probably lose your hands," Akihiko said with a sigh. "Someone, somewhere, would suspect you of cheating."

"I play a lot of games." Hiro dug out five dice from his pocket as they entered the dorms, the two Princesses leading them to the common room. "Here, I'll show you. Aki, roll them."

Akihiko obliged, coming up with a four, a six, two threes, and a five.

"Again, so they know they're not weighted," Hiro commanded. Akihiko rolled twice more, getting random numbers.

"Now, pick a combination that's possible from the five dice," Hiro said with a small smile. Akihiko groaned.

"We're going to get into so many bar fights," he grumbled.

"Let's go for...23." Masa stared intently at the dice as Hiro shook them, then released the dice onto the coffee table.

Two sixes, one five, one four, and one two.

Yuujiro and Masa's jaws dropped in astonishment.

"Seriously?!" Yuujiro demanded, golden eyes widening. "How does that even happen? Do seven!"

Hiro grinned as, with a flourish, he rolled the dice. One three, and four ones.

"That is why he's in the math club," Akihiko said with a sigh.

Masa was attempting to calculate the odds of this happening, but her brain overloaded and she got a dazed look in her eyes for a moment.

"You are a force to be reckoned with, Hiro-san," she said, blinking. "Let's hope you never go to the side of evil."

"I've got Tsu to keep me on the straight and narrow," Hiro said with a beaming smile. "Aki'd probably join me on the dark side."

Akihiko elbowed the dark-haired boy, who dissolved into giggles.

"I'll go see if they're done," Yuujiro said, glancing at the clock. "Be right back."

* * *

Five minutes later, Yuujiro, Tooru, and Chihiro arrived.

"Ah, good afternoon, Higa-san, Yamasaki-san," Chihiro said with a bow. "I'm honoured that you're judging our competition."

"No problem, Takahashi-chan," Hiro said, eyes filled with curiousity. Akihiko also peered interestedly into the doorway.

"We won't tell you who did whose hair, so you can judge fairly," Tooru said with a flourish. "Come on in, you two, we don't have all day."

With that, Kaoru and Mikoto hesitantly entered the room. Masa was amazed at the skill that was present in both boys' hairstyles. She'd thought that Tooru would be outclassed, but apparently she was wrong.

Mikoto's hair was wonderfully teased, curls framing his face. It was a windswept look; Masa envied the complex layers that seemed messy, but were strategically placed.

Kaoru's hair had been straightened, but the tips were curled just slightly enough to enhance the shape of his face. His bangs were layered, slanted to cover the right side of his face. It looked simple, but Masa knew how easily that kind of hairstyle could fall apart.

Akihiko and Hiro stared intently at the two boys, who both blushed.

"This is totally different from the Hime look," Hiro said with interest. "I really can't decide."

"I like Kaoru-san," Akihiko said, eyeing the dark-haired teen. "It really suits his face. The artist in me has spoken," he said with a dramatic pose.

"You should have been in the theatre club," Yuujiro grumbled.

"I like Mikoto-hime," Hiro said after a long moment of pondering. "That's certainly a nice hairstyle."

"Well, it's a tie!" Masa said, waving her arms in the air. "That concludes the judging portion of today's events!" She paused, glancing at Chihiro. "How about some cake?"

Chihiro stuck her tongue out at Masa, but quickly went and retrieved what was left of Masa's cooking.

"Aniki, your skills have improved," Kaoru said, distracted from his embarrasment by the confectionary. "It looks a lot nicer than it used to."

"Hush you," Masa said, poking him in the ribs. "No one needs to hear your stories."

"Masa-hime, I didn't know you could cook," Akihiko said, surprised. Tooru and Yuujiro gave each other a Look, which Masa spotted.

"You're plotting something again," she pointed out suspiciously. "Out with it."

"Who, us? Never." Tooru whistled innocently as they tucked in to the cake. Mikoto stared glumly at his feet as he ate, avoiding eye contact with Kaoru.

Hiro and Akihiko finished eating and rose.

"Thank you very much for the cake," Akihiko said with a bow.

"We're pretty lucky, getting to eat Masa-hime's homemade cake," Hiro said with an easy smile. "Come visit anytime you want to try to beat my odds."

Masa raised an eyebrow at the challenge, but kept quiet. Tooru and Yuujiro stood as well, looking at each other.

"We'll escort you out, senpais," Tooru chimed. Yuujiro nodded as they ushered the two boys out of the room.

"Shouldn't _we_ be escorting _you_?" Hiro inquired, but his statement was brushed off.

"Our dorm, our rules," Tooru said with a wicked grin. Akihiko chuckled as they left the dormitory, their chatter heard as the door closed.

"Chii, help with dishes," Masa said, gathering up the plates. "Come on, we'll do it in the Meeting Room."

"Oh, is that what that's called?" Chihiro asked as she grabbed the glasses. "It's a nice little room. I wish my room had a washing machine and dryer." She sighed wistfully. "It would be so much easier."

"Well, think about it," Masa grumbled. "People'd be stealing our clothes all the time otherwise." She ushered Chihiro out the door, leaving Mikoto and Kaoru in the room.

* * *

The silence was long as the two boys avoided eye contact. Kaoru stared up at the ceiling, while Mikoto was looking at his feet. After a moment, they both looked up.

Kaoru blushed at meeting that ruby gaze, and Mikoto groaned, putting his face in his hands.

"Why is it always me?" he moaned, running a hand through his hair. "I can't really go outside looking like this. I was going to show you-" Mikoto stopped mid-sentence, the awkward ending hanging in the air.

"Show me what?" Kaoru inquired curiously. He then noticed something and leaned over, fingers brushing Mikoto's face. The redhead jumped, startled.

"Icing," Kaoru said with a blush. He wiped it on a napkin, not seeing Mikoto's hand fly to his face, but the redhead quickly regained what was left of his composure.

"Do you want to shower?" Mikoto tried to ask it nonchalantly, but it came out as a squeak. "That's probably the only way to get this stuff out of our hair."

Kaoru paused for a moment. Why did that seem like such a big deal? It's like his school.

"Sure. I'll have to go borrow Ayafuya's towel, though." The two boys rose and headed for the door, their hands touching the knob at the same time. Mikoto hurriedly moved his hand away, blushing, and Kaoru opened the door.

Why was he blushing so much?

Mikoto quickly went to his room, closing the door and leaning on it. "What's up with me today?" he asked quietly, rubbing his face with his hands. "Then again, it is Kaoru-kun's last day here. I should make it special."

He refused to think about why that needed to be done.

* * *

Kaoru popped into Masa's room, startling the brunette.

"What do you want?" she demanded, but it was diminished by the fact that she was lying on the floor, manga in hand. Chihiro was chomping on Pocky as she read a magazine in the bed.

"There's more than one bed, you know," Kaoru said dryly, but Chihiro flapped a hand at him.

"Don't you try to erase my training," she said with a pointed look at the fluffy-haired teen.

"I need a towel."

Both Chihiro and Masa raised an eyebrow.

"We need to get this out of our hair," Kaoru said, pointing at his stylish head. "Mikoto-san seems to have something planned for tonight."

Chihiro hid her smile behind her hand as Masa rolled over, pointing to a drawer. "In there. What happened to all of yours?" she said grumpily.

Kaoru muttered something unintelligeable and rummaged around until he found what he was looking for.

"I'll be back in a bit." He zipped out of the room, and Masa could hear his and Mikoto's muffled voices as they walked away.

Chihiro was staring interestedly at the door.

"What?"

"Flag," she said with a grin, tossing her slim braid over her shoulder.

Masa stared blankly at her friend.

"Never you mind." Chihiro tossed a pillow at Masa, starting a pillow war. The fluffy headrests flew across the room, the two girls laughing as they attempted to dodge the other's attacks.

Tooru and Yuujiro's voices floated through the door.

"What _are_ you two doing in there that's making so much noise?" Yuujiro demanded.

The door opened, and Tooru and Yuujiro stared at the scene. Masa had pinned Chihiro, who was teary-eyed.

Masa's eyes widened, figuring they'd both take this the wrong way, but Tooru simply shrugged as Yuujiro glared at Chihiro. The brunette hurriedly got up off of her childhood friend and whirled to face the two, laughing uncomfortably.

"We interrupted something," Tooru observed. "We'll let you get back to that, then."

As they were talking, Chihiro's hand had inched closer and closer to a nearby pillow.

Masa, sensing danger, ducked.

"Chii-chan of the Rebellion!" Chihiro cried, launching the pillow full-force at where Masa's head _used_ to be. It smacked Tooru in the face, and the blue-haired boy blinked in surprise as he caught the pillow as it fell from his face.

"Tooru of the Counterattack," he announced, whipping the pillow back at Chihiro. The P-Room quickly descended into chaos as the four picked sides and began the War.

* * *

Meanwhile, Kaoru and Mikoto were in the showers; Mikoto had just jumped into the bath as Kaoru washed his hair.

"So, Mikoto-san," Kaoru said after a moment of hesitation. "I saw some flyers up for a fashion show next week?"

Mikoto sank into the water up to his nose as Kaoru plopped into the bath across from the redhead. Kaoru looked expectantly at Mikoto.

"Yeah, they're dressing us up," Mikoto said quietly. "There are going to be so many people there. I don't think I can do it."

Kaoru's mind drifted back to the dance party, and he was glad the steam hid his blush.

"I think you'll be okay, Mikoto-san," Kaoru said firmly. "You're a stronger person than that. You've already endured so much!"

Mikoto sighed. "Kaoru-kun, you think too highly of me," he grumbled. "This will destroy my reputation, I just know it."

"I'm sure they have something set up for that," Kaoru said after a long moment. "Wouldn't it be bad if it got out that Fujimori has Princesses?"

"Dunno." Mikoto suddenly sat up, eyes twinkling. "Maybe it would let me get out of this damn project!"

"I get the feeling that won't happen," the fluffy-haired teen pointed out. "I'm sure this kind of thing has happened before."

"Make up your mind," Mikoto groaned. "To do or not to do? That isn't really the question."

"You'll be fine, Mikoto-san." Kaoru decided to end the argument by splashing Mikoto, and it quickly turned into a waterfight.

* * *

As Masa and the other three cleaned up the remnants of their war, Kaoru and Mikoto opened the door with curious eyes.

"What happened here?" Kaoru inquired, raising an eyebrow.

"Pillow fight," Masa said, rubbing her face. "I ended it, though."

"With your stupid face," Chihiro said with a giggle. Even remembering it caused Yuujiro and Tooru to chuckle.

"You should put that on posters and send it around the world," Tooru said between snickers. "It'll end all wars."

Masa pouted as she gathered up the rest of the pillows, tossing them into her room.

"What now?" Chihiro asked, glancing at Masa. "Supper?"

Mikoto and Kaoru glanced at each other.

"We're going out," Kaoru said with a small smile. "We'll be back later, so Ayafuya doesn't have to worry."

Masa stuck her tongue out at her brother as Mikoto nodded, and the two quickly left the room.

"I'm not in the mood for the cafeteria food," Tooru said with a sigh. "But I'm feeling too lazy to go out."

Yuujiro raised an eyebrow. "Delivery, then?"

"Sure. Masa, Chihiro-san, you want to join?"

"Nah, it's okay." Masa waved a hand at the two boys. "You guys go ahead."

Tooru stared in astonishment at the brunette. "He's not eating dinner? Wow, the world is going to end."

"Shut up," Masa grumbled as Chihiro grabbed her arm.

Chihiro batted her eyelashes at Masa, who looked at her suspiciously.

"I think it's about time I went home, Maa-chan," she said with a smile.

"All right. I'll walk you to the station."

"Will you remember how to get back?" Yuujiro's golden eyes glinted with mischief.

"I'll be fine," Masa said haughtily. "It's pretty much a straight line, anyway."

"Do you have our cell phone numbers?" Tooru asked suddenly. The brunette shook her head.

"We haven't exchanged them? Then again, I guess we _do _see each other. A lot." Tooru sighed, shaking his head.

"Don't you want my number?" Chihiro demanded, pouting.

"I don't think I'd ever need to contact you, tart," Yuujiro said dryly, but he grudgingly exchanged numbers with Chihiro, and a bit more willingly with Masa.

"Let's go," Masa declared, and she and Chihiro went outside, waving as they walked into the twilight sky.

* * *

"Here, Kaoru-kun, climb up," Mikoto urged, a hand silhouetted against the rapidly darkening sky. The fluffy-haired teen obliged, and he emerged, panting, onto the rooftop.

"How the heck did you learn about here?" Kaoru asked, awestruck by the view. They were on the school's roof, going around the corner and climbing up a trellis.

"I was escaping when some students decided to pester me outside of the P-Room," Mikoto said glumly. "It has a beautiful view though, doesn't it?"

Indeed, it overlooked the entire campus, from the track to the swimming pool. The sky twinkled as the stars came out, and the two teens lay on the warm concrete.

"This is amazing," Kaoru whispered, not wanting to break the serene atmosphere.

"Yeah, I come up here whenever it's too much." The redhead closed his eyes as Kaoru rolled over, but Mikoto felt the brown-eyed gaze.

Kaoru was about to say something, but sighed and propped himself up on his elbows instead.

"It's been so relaxing, having you around," Mikoto murmured. "You're so...different from everyone else. I really like spending time with you."

"Me too," Kaoru said quietly, and left it at that.

Mikoto's breathing evened, and Kaoru blinked. Had the redhead really fallen asleep...?

Leaning over, Kaoru's face got closer and closer to Mikoto's.

He was just checking if Mikoto was sleeping, that was all.

Nothing more.

Right?

As if sensing the atmosphere, Mikoto's ruby eyes shot open and he sat up, smacking Kaoru in the face. They both yelped, holding their foreheads.

"Sorry, sorry," Mikoto said, rubbing his head. "I didn't mean to doze off."

"It's okay," Kaoru said with a small smile.

"I bet I looked like a moron," Mikoto bemoaned. "Apparently I have a terrible sleeping face."

"Nah, you looked..."-_cute_ almost came out of his mouth-"...fine. Better than me, anyway. Ayafuya says I make weird faces when I sleep."

"I don't believe you."

"It's true." Kaoru scooted closer to the redhead, leaning in. "Here, I'll show you."

Though his faces weren't as good as Masa's, Mikoto's laughter rang across the silent campus. Then suddenly, as if realizing how close they were to each other, they both blushed and backed away.

"So you're leaving tomorrow," Mikoto said, a tinge of sadness in his voice.

"Yeah." Kaoru was subdued.

"Ah! Here, I'll give you my cell phone number," Mikoto said, fumbling in his pocket. "I never really used it, so when you want to get in touch with me call or text."

"So you don't have all of Fujimori in your contact list?" Kaoru said, raising an eyebrow.

"What? No! That would be-"

The redhead trailed off, looking at Kaoru suspiciously.

"That sounded a lot like a Masa comment. Or Yuujiro. Or Tooru. You've been hanging around them too much," Mikoto grumbled as the fluffy-haired teen laughed. "They've corrupted you."

"No, I'll never tease you as much as them," Kaoru said, suddenly serious. "If they're ever bothering you too much, let me know. I'll set them straight. I'll always be here for you." Kaoru blushed, realizing how that sounded. "Why does it always come out like that?" he murmured as the redhead retrieved his phone.

They exchanged numbers and fell back into a comfortable silence, the moon the only witness as they whispered half-sentences and moved, slowly, closer together.


	16. Part 15: Masked Intent and WTH, Tooru?

_(Teji note: Yay for updates! And please check out my blog, if you're wondering why I'm procrastinating... the link is on my profile page! =D_)

Part Fifteen: Masked Intent, and What the Hell, Tooru?

"Behavior in the human being is sometimes a defense, a way of concealing motives and thoughts, as language can be a way of hiding your thoughts and preventing communication." -Abraham Maslow

Kaoru plodded glumly towards the train station, his luggage clanking along the sidewalk behind him. He had awoken early, anticipating a long train ride. He'd knocked on Mikoto's door, but was informed by Tooru that the redhead had left a while before.

As if sensing his mood, Masa skipped up to him and grabbed his arm, looking up at her brother with doe eyes.

"What's wrong, Kaoru-kun?" she inquired, fluttering her eyelashes.

"Stop that, Ayafuya," the fluffy-haired teen grumbled. "How much farther to the station?" He chopped his sister's head, causing her to wince.

"Be nice," she said with a sigh. "It should be in sight by now."

The two Inoue children paused, staring at each other.

"Crap," they chorused.

Masa turned around, trying to get her bearings, but was completely unsuccessful.

"Why didn't we bring someone with us?" Masa groaned, but already knew the answer. Mikoto was gone, Yuujiro had went out on errands, and Tooru...well, he disappeared.

Kaoru glanced at his watch, then looked around. He didn't recognize any of the shops, but that wasn't saying much. He didn't wander around towns, for this explicit reason.

"Now what?" he said quietly, pondering. "I'm definitely going to miss my train."

Masa perked up, spotting something interesting.

"Cake," she said with a grin, and was off. She left Kaoru standing there, bemused as he wondered where his sister found the room to put all of that food. They'd had a hearty breakfast, and Masa was chomping on snacks most of the way to...wherever they were.

Sighing, Kaoru plopped onto a bench, putting his head in his hands. He wished he could have seen Mikoto once more before he left.

A flash of sunlight hit crimson on the edge of his vision, and his head whipped up.

"M-Mikoto-san?!" Kaoru nearly shrieked in surprise, startling the redhead.

Mikoto whirled, staring at the teen. "Kaoru-kun, what are you doing here?"

"I could ask the same of you," Kaoru said, a slightly accusing tone in his voice. "I tried to see you this morning, but you weren't on campus."

Mikoto's ruby eyes stared at the ground, his feet scuffing the dirt. "I just wanted to..."

He mumbled the rest, and Kaoru strode over. "Pardon?"

"I just wanted to get you something," Mikoto said finally, looking at Kaoru's brown eyes. "Here, take it." He shoved a package at the teen, whose eyes widened.

"Thank you so much, Mikoto-san!" he gushed, before remembering his manly image. Coughing, he accepted the box. "Can I open it now?"

"I-I guess so," Mikoto said, avoiding Kaoru's eyes. The fluffy-haired boy quickly opened the package, curious as to its contents.

Inside was a cell phone strap, a tiny set of red, metallic headphones adorning the clip. Kaoru's face broke into a wide smile.

"It's _amazing_, Mikoto-san," he said, and hugged the redhead without thinking.

To both of their surprise, neither moved for a long, long moment.

Realizing what he was doing, Kaoru pulled away, blushing. "Thank you so much."

"I...I have a matching one," Mikoto said bashfully, showing his own. "Mine is black, though. So we'll remember each other."

"I'll have a hard time forgetting you," Kaoru said quietly. "Mikoto-san, you've given me a lot to think about."

"That's so...formal," Mikoto said, tilting his head to the side. "Drop the honourifics?"

Kaoru stared at Mikoto, then shrugged. "Sure, M-M..."

He drooped, face flushing.

"...Mikoto," he said finally.

"Good," Mikoto said, ruby eyes shining, a true smile on his face. "You need to come and visit again, ok, Kaoru?"

"Of course. Next holiday, or weekend I guess, for sure." Kaoru stared at his feet, feeling a bit sad at the parting.

The sound of approaching footsteps heralded the arrival of Masa, who was wiping cream off of her face as she ate a crepe.

"Ah, hi mikofo, oo you..."

Kaoru glared at his sister, who obediently swallowed the mouthful that was impeding her speech.

"Hi, Mikoto! Do you know how to get to the train station from here?" the brunette chirped.

Mikoto stared at the Inoue children, then started laughing.

"You're so close! It's right around the corner!" Mikoto doubled over, his laughter ringing around the street, and Kaoru and Masa chuckled wryly.

"That doesn't surprise me," Masa grumbled. "Lead the way anyway, Mikoto."

The redhead took the forefront, Kaoru beside him and Masa behind. As they walked, Kaoru had a question, but was uncertain of whether or not he wanted it to be answered.

As if sensing his thoughts, Mikoto turned to the teen. "Question?"

"Yeah," Kaoru said after a moment. "I was just wondering...why did you become a Princess in the first place?"

Mikoto's expression fell at the word "Princess", as if just imagining it made him upset.

"It's okay, I didn't mean to pry," Kaoru hurriedly backpedalled, not liking that face.

"No, no, it's fine," Mikoto said with a long-suffering sigh. "I just wanted to be able to buy things for..." He trailed off, ruby eyes staring at Kaoru with undecipherable intent. "...Megumi-san."

Kaoru's heart twinged at the mention of Mikoto's girlfriend.

"Ah, right, you mentioned her before," Kaoru said, trying to be casual. "She's older than you, then?"

"Yeah. Though I haven't seen her for a while, now. Phone calls are okay, but...you know."

"Mmm."

Mikoto suddenly snapped his fingers, startling Kaoru and Masa.

"That reminds me, Tooru wanted me to give you this," Mikoto said, pulling an envelope from his pocket. "He didn't say what it was, though."

"Ah." Kaoru eyed the envelope suspiciously. Tooru was an interesting character, so who knew what was in it...?

Masa, as if sensing her brother's thoughts, sidled up to him.

"Wait 'til you're on the train before opening it," she whispered, and Kaoru nodded, stowing it away in his jacket pocket.

The rest of the way was inane chit-chat, Masa ensuring she got her maximum amount of teasing out of her little brother.

There was a short judo fight, but Masa had Kaoru on the ground in a flash, leaving Mikoto standing there, agape.

Eventually, the three made it to the train station, and Masa gave her brother a hug.

"Be a good otouto, okay? Go visit him."

"Hell no."

Masa smacked him and leaned in for another hug, dodging his rebuttal strike.

"See you, Kaoru," Mikoto said quietly.

"Mikoto..." Kaoru stepped forward, embracing the redhead. He was a bit surprised to find that he was taller than Mikoto.

"I'll be back, I promise," he murmured, before releasing Mikoto. Their eyes met, and ruby ones were confused while brown ones were composed.

"Of course you will," Masa grumbled. "You never go home. You'll come back, and eat my food, and..."

Masa went off on a tirade, effectively dissipating the tension. Mikoto's face was red, and Kaoru had a bit of a blush, but they gave small smiles to each other.

Hauling his luggage onto the train, Kaoru turned and waved as the doors shut, and Mikoto and Masa waved back until the train was out of sight.

Kaoru, curious as to the contents of Tooru's envelope, glanced around secretively before opening it.

Inside were photos from the ball, with Mikoto as a Princess, and photos taken around campus. There was even a shot of he and Mikoto, with the redhead laughing.

Startled, Kaoru hastily shoved the photos back into the envelope as a note drifted out.

"Figured you didn't get any of these. You're good for Mikoto-you helped him adjust to this lifestyle. Think of these as a thank-you gift. -Tooru"

Kaoru sighed, but smiled as he tucked the envelope into a safe pocket, knowing that he would be back.

* * *

Monday passed by uneventfully, but as soon as school was out Masa darted out of the classroom and to the dorm.

Tooru and Yuujiro stared at her now-empty seat, then grinned at each other.

"He's hiding something," Tooru said wickedly, and the two leapt up and took chase. It didn't take long for Masa to disappear, but Tooru figured where she was heading and cut her off.

"Damn," the brunette grumbled as she turned the corner. Her eyes darted to the only escape route, in which a grinning Yuujiro emerged from.

"Where do you think you're going, hmm?" Tooru inquired, raising an eyebrow.

"Nowhere and doing nothing," Masa instantly retorted. "Not a thing that concerns you."

"You're not trying to shirk your duties, are you?" Yuujiro said with a frown. "That's too Mikoto-like."

"Of course not," Masa sniffed. "We don't even _have_ duties today."

The two Princesses paused, then shrugged.

"I suppose that's true." Tooru sighed dramatically, leaning on Yuujiro. "Our lives are so _boring_ without Mikoto to tease."

"Where is he, anyway?" Masa asked curiously. She'd caught a glimpse of him at the morning meeting, but his mind seemed far away. The students had noticed, and had quickly accosted the redhead. The other three had promptly ignored his cries for help, and that was the last she'd heard.

"I think he's going to see Megumi-san tomorrow," Tooru said after a moment of pondering. "But that was last week. I don't know if his plans changed."

"Ah." Masa sidled towards the corner, not looking at it. "Do you guys have plans for Showa Day, then?"

"I'm getting seriously bored." Yuujiro's golden eyes flashed in annoyance. "I don't think I can take much more of this." He waved a hand at the school, but his expression quickly changed as some students came around the corner.

"Ah, Himes," one student sighed. "Do you have plans for Showa Day?"

"Quiet contemplation and studying," Tooru said with a Blinding Smile. "I do hope you're going to keep up with your studies, as well."

"We do not want to be the cause of your grades dropping," Masa said with a sigh. "Otherwise we will be out of a job."

"Never!"

The students went on their way, a new fire in their eyes. Yuujiro suddenly started to laugh.

"What's so funny?" Masa demanded, hands on her hips. Tooru started giggling as well.

"Your language is so proper around them," Yuujiro snickered.

"I just noticed it now," Tooru said with a grin. "Totally different from now."

Masa paused, thinking. "Huh. I wonder why."

"Ladylike speech?" Yuujiro said dryly. "I wonder if we all do that?"

A moment's pause.

"Not Mikoto," the three chorused, and laughed.

Masa stopped laughing suddenly, then took off.

"Damn! He's quick!" Tooru said, blinking. "Where the heck is he going, anyway?"

"Eh, doesn't matter," Yuujiro said, flapping his hand at the blue-haired boy. "He'll be back for supper, anyway."

Tooru chuckled in agreement, and the two boys meandered back to the dorm.

* * *

Indeed, at supper Masa was already tucking in to her food.

"Told you so," Yuujiro said with a self-satisfied grin.

"Told him what?" Masa demanded, pausing between bites.

"No matter where you are, you'll always come to food." Tooru paused, thinking. "You're kind of like a wild animal."

"Skittish, too," Yuujiro added. "What are you planning?"

"Nothing," Masa mumbled. In an attempt to change the subject, she waved her fork. "What do we know about the fashion show?"

Yuujiro leaned back in his chair, pondering.

"We're going in for hair and makeup in the morning. Photos will be taken throughout the afternoon."

"And what are we going to do about the fact that we're...well, you know. Princesses?" Tooru inquired. "Surely someone is going to find out."

"That's true." Yuujiro paused. "Akira-san said he had a plan in place, though. Then again, I'm sure other people know about this, right? It's more our family members and such."

"Ah!" Tooru sat up suddenly, startling the other two. "I totally forgot! I was going to meet Katsumi-senpai after supper!" He wolfed down his food, then quickly disappeared.

Masa and Yuujiro stared at his empty seat for a moment, then sighed in unison.

"I'm going to guess that people who know about the Project are going to be coming, along with the students, so there shouldn't be too much outside attention. The Principal has the school's reputation, after all. Sporting events and such we can be seen as "girls", but..."

Yuujiro frowned, golden eyes meeting Masa's.

"This can't keep working forever," he said quietly. "You've been really lucky."

"I know." Masa sighed, running a hand through her hair. "I've been thinking about it. I think I've gotten a solution."

Yuujiro was about to ask a question, but was stopped by Masa's hand.

"I need to go make a phone call," she said, rising and taking her and Tooru's dishes to the conveyor belt. "And see Miyagi-sensei tomorrow."

Masa missed the blonde's worried look, but it melted away when she turned to face him.

"I can handle this," Masa said softly, almost more to convince herself than him.

* * *

"...no one else?" Masa's voice came from an empty classroom, after school was out. "Are you sure?"

A sigh of defeat, then the _snap_ of a cell phone. The brunette came out, nearly running Tooru over.

"What were you doing?" she asked suspiciously, eyeing him up.

He gave her his best innocent expression, but Masa continued to glare at him.

"Fine," he said with a dramatic sigh. "You seemed so distant today, so I figured I'd try to see what was up." He looked actually concerned, which made Masa sigh.

"Sorry. I need to leave tomorrow, that's all. I have to go home. My dad has an issue he needs some help with."

"Anything we can do to help?" Tooru's blue eyes were full of curiousity, and Masa thought she saw a hint of mischief.

"Probably not. Chihiro and Misashi are coming with me, though, so I should be fine."

"But it'll be so _boring_ here," Tooru whined. "I wanna go with you. Besides, Yuujiro won't like the thought of you and Takahashi-san being alone." He gave a cat-like grin, making Masa uneasy. The brunette ran a hand through her hair as she considered it.

"I'll let you know," she said finally. Tooru decided to be content with that and skipped off, leaving Masa to stand there pondering.

After a few moments she shook herself out of her stupor, and went to go visit Miyagi-sensei.

The tall, dark-haired doctor frowned the moment she knocked. "Come in," he said irritably, shaking his head. "Why have you been avoiding me?"

"I haven't," Masa protested. "A lot has been happening, that's all."

"Nothing is more important than your health," he chatised. "Let's go over the basics, since it's been a while."

A quick interrogation and test later, Miyagi sighed. His green eyes were concerned as he pulled up his chair, staring at her.

"What?" Masa asked, after an uncomfortable silence. "You seem mad."

He sighed in defeat. "I'm upset about the fact that you seem to have been neglecting your know as well as I do that you've been having problems with your blood pressure."

Masa looked at her feet. "It isn't that bad, is it?"

Miyagi was silent, but that was the only answer she needed.

"I'm sorry, Sensei," she said quietly.

"Here. You'll need to take these twice a day, at morning and night." He stood up and scribbled on a notepad. "Take this presciption to the pharmacy. It's near the campus store."

Masa took the paper, but made no move to get up from the bed.

"What?" Miyagi asked, after shuffling items on his desk around.

"Why haven't you outed me?" Masa asked curiously. "Won't you lose your job?"

Miyagi stopped in the middle of moving papers. "Probably."

"So why are you doing this?"

"I...owe your family, that's all." His voice made it sound as if the subject was closed, and for once Masa took the hint...

...this time.

She made a mental note to pester him about it when he wasn't upset, but then changed the subject.

"Why did you seem so...frustrated?" she inquired, hazel eyes curious. Miyagi glanced up, but ran a hand over his face.

"Let's just say that I've been dealing with a...problem patient," he said dryly. As if on cue the door banged open.

"Sensei!" a voice sang, and a student burst into the room. Long black hair obscured his face as the boy limped into the room, peering through the black curtain of folicles. "I fell. I think I sprained it." His voice had a sad tone, but there was a hint of glee behind it.

"I can see that, Morimoto-san," Miyagi said, massaging the bridge of his nose. "What happened this time?"

"I was drawing some sparrows and they flew overhead, and I rolled down the hill." The boy shrugged as he reached into his pocket, quickly tying his hair into a ponytail. Large brown eyes looked questioningly at Masa. "Did I interrupt something?"

"No, Inoue-san was about to leave." Miyagi stood, glaring at Masa. "Take care of yourself."

"Ah, the Princess of Winter, right? I'm Takumi Morimoto, 2nd year art club student." He stuck out his hand, which Masa shook.

"I've heard quite a bit about you. Most of the guys in my class are taken with you." Takumi paused, swishing his ponytail. "They've bought a lot of stuff."

"Please thank them for me," Masa said with a bow. "I'll take my leave now, Sensei."

As Masa went to leave the room, she heard the unmistakable sound of a tackle-hug, and mentally added another note to ask him about...that.

* * *

Masa left the doctor's office with a sigh, turning to where Miyagi-sensei had indicated the pharmacy was. As she walked, lost in thought, she turned the corner and hit the ground.

"Ouch!" a familiar voice squeaked. "The heck-"

The brunette heard the sound of scuffling feet, then an arm was around her shoulder helping her up.

"I'm so sorry, Masa-hime," Mitsuru apologized, blue eyes wide. "Are you okay? We crashed pretty hard."

"I'm okay, Mitsuru...kun," Masa stammered, rubbing her chest with a wince. "What were you in such a hurry for? School's over."

"I need to go for makeup lessons in math," Mitsuru said, shuffling his feet. "Honoka-sensei said I'm nowhere _near_ the level I should be."

"Already?" Masa said with wide eyes. "Normally I'd offer help, but I'm not good enough at math to teach."

"Plus the other guys would kill me, getting tutored by Masa-hime," the short boy grumbled. "Not that I mind, of course! Spending time with you is worth it!" He raised his hands in panic, causing Masa to giggle.

"That's good. Although...aren't Fumio-kun and Mori-kun good at math?" Masa questioned, tilting her head to the side.

"Don't look at me like that," Mitsuru groaned. "They said they weren't going to help me this time, to make me learn my lesson."

"Oh? What lesson is that?"

"To do my homework."

Masa blinked, then laughed. "That's a harsh lesson, indeed. No wonder you're behind."

"It's such a _pain_," Mitsuru moaned. "I'd rather be outside running around."

"You sound like my brother," Masa said with a smile. "He likes being outside more than studying as well."

Mitsuru looked intrigued, but caught a glimpse of his watch. "Sorry, Masa-hime, but I've got to get moving. I don't know what will happen if I'm late."

"You seem to be perpetually late," Masa said philosophically. "Do your best, okay?"

"I will! Thanks for the pep talk!" With that, the tiny boy was gone, leaving Masa to stare at the space he had been.

"He certainly moves quickly, I'll give him that," she said in amazement, but then realized she needed to hustle as well. The pharmacy closed relatively quickly, and she should get that prescription today.

Figuring she knew where she was in relation to the pharmacy, she took off in what she thought was a shortcut.

Oh, how she was wrong.

She was stopped short by a broom closet at the end of a hallway.

"What the...?" she muttered, then turned around. She didn't recognize this part of the school. "Am I in the east wing?"

Groaning, Masa put her head in her hands and lamented her lack-of-location genes as she meandered back (what she hoped was) the way she came. Stopping outside of 1-A, she heard a familiar voice. Her heart rose as she peered into the doorway.

Indeed, there was Tsutomu, who was at his desk with a textbook. He glanced up and frowned, obviously puzzled at why Masa was in his classroom.

"Masa-hime? Can I help you? Why are you in this wing?"

"Goto-san!" she cried out in relief. "I...got turned around. I need to go to the pharmacy."

Tsutomu's brown eyes were bemused. "You could not be further away, Masa-hime."

The brunette sighed and sat at a desk, putting her head on her arms. "Too late anyway," she grumbled. "It's probably closed by now."

Tsutomu closed his textbook with a _thump_, placing it in his bag, then rose. "It's open until 5, Masa-hime," he said with a gentle smile. "Would you like me to accompany you?"

"If you don't mind, that would be great!" Masa beamed at him, and he smiled in return. The two set off, and Masa eventually ended up at the pharmacy.

"Thank you so much," she gushed. "If there's anything I can do for you, let me know!"

"Your gratitude is enough for me," Tsutomu said with a gentlemanly bow. "I will see you later, Hime." With that, he trotted outside into the setting sun.

A few moments later, Masa emerged clutching a bottle. Turning the corner to go outside, she was on the ground.

Again.

"What is with these damn corners?" Masa grumbled as she picked herself up, dusting her uniform off. "Sorry about that." She looked up and saw Yuujiro's eyes, dancing with laughter.

"That's not the first time?" he inquired with a quirk of his lips.

"Not today, no," Masa said with a tired look. "Are you heading back to the dorm?"

"Yeah. Want an escort?"

"I don't think I'd get lost, but the way today has been, sure, why not." She stared at her feet for a moment, then shook her head resolutely. "Thanks, Yuujiro."

The blonde's eyes widened at this sudden moment of weakness, but decided not to push whatever issue she had.

Masa's hazel eyes were distant as they walked, and she barely said a word.

Yuujiro eventually had enough.

"Okay, what's up?" he said sharply, turning and stopping in front of Masa. The brunette looked up, surprised.

"What do you mean? Nothing's up," she said with a smile. If Yuujiro hadn't seen her face ten seconds ago, he would have assumed she was fine.

"You know what I mean," the blonde said flatly. "There's something bothering you, isn't there?"

Masa inwardly sighed at her apparent sudden loss of emotional control. It was bad that both Tooru and Yuujiro sensed something was wrong.

"I just have to call my dad when I get back, that's all." Masa ran a hand through her hair. "Got some stuff to talk about."  
Yuujiro's eyes widened. "Is Miyagi-sensei going to tell the principal?" he asked, voice rising. "Or someone else find out?"

Masa blinked at this sudden leap in logic, then gave a tired smile.

"No, no, of course not. I've been more careful, and Miyagi-sensei...well, he has his reasons for keeping quiet." The conversation in the doctor's office floated through her mind. "Speaking of. You're oddly comfortable with changing around me now."

"Really? I hadn't noticed."

"Yeah, you actually manage to keep up normal conversation when we're getting dressed and in the bath and stuff."

Yuujiro, thinking of the bathing, flushed. "I'll never get used to _that_," he grumbled, but acknowledged Masa's observation. "Anyone would get used to anything, I suppose. You're lucky Tooru and Mikoto have accepted your odd bathtime habits."

Masa shrugged. "I take it in stride, I guess."

The blonde sighed and shook his head as they entered the dorm, heading to their room. Tooru was lounging on the couch, waving a hand lazily as the two shucked their coats.

"How was the appointment?" he inquired, sitting up and stretching.

"Good, I guess?" Masa said, raising an eyebrow. "It was a doctor's appointment, what did you expect? Some hanky-panky?"

Tooru's sapphire eyes widened. "Masa! You _wouldn't_! How dare you cheat on me?" he said in mock outrage. Yuujiro sighed and gave the blue-haired boy a gentle smack on the head, causing Tooru to laugh.

"I should probably do my homework," he said, darting into his and Yuujiro's room. The blonde was behind him, grumbling about biology, but then stopped and stared at Masa.

"What?" she demanded, hands on her hips.

"Have you finished your homework?" he inquired, golden eyes suspicious.

"Of course. I got it done during school," she said proudly, nose in the air.

Tooru's head poked out of the doorway, an incredulous expression on his face. "Gracious, the world is going to end. He got his homework done."

Masa stuck her tongue out at the boy as he laughed and disappeared, and Masa went into her own room. It seemed oddly large without Kaoru's belongings. She sighed and sat at her desk, pulling out her cellphone.

"Hey Dad, it's me," she said, then laughed. "Obvious, I know. How many did you say were stuck?"

"Five." Her father sounded tired. "I appreciate your helping me during the holiday, Masa."

"No problem. Chii was going home anyway," Masa said, moving to her bed. "She and Misashi nii-chan. By the way, Kenta nii-chan said I needed to visit the dojo."

"Yeah, his father's been bothering me," her dad grumbled. "You, Chihiro, and Misashi, hmm?"

The line went silent, and Masa could _hear_ the thoughts going through her father's brain.

"No way, Dad," she said instantly. "You can't possibly think Chii will agree to that."

"Why not? She was always up for it before. Besides, she can get some hands-on experience." The glee in his voice couldn't be contained. "And you know as well as I do that Misashi doesn't have any problems whatsoever with it."

"That's only three, though," Masa argued. "You'd need two more to round it out! Where-"

The brunette stopped mid-sentence.

_It'll be so _boring_ here. I wanna go with you._

She considered this for a moment.

"Dad, hold on a minute," she said, setting the phone on the dresser and ignoring her father's confused questions.

* * *

As she stuck her head into Tooru and Yuujiro's room, the blue-haired boy looked at her and grinned.

"Knew it," he sang. "Are we going with you?"

"If you want to." She paused, considering her next words. "My dad would like you to help him out. He's a photographer, and five of his models got stuck at the airport. Chii, her brother, and myself are going, but..."

"Mikoto's going to his girlfriend's house," Yuujiro said with a thoughtful expression, "so it's not like we'd be able to have any fun with him."

"Where did you live, anyway?" Tooru inquired, his face alight with anticipation.

"Fukuoka," Masa said with a sigh. "It's a three hour train ride."

"Isn't that a place with great food?" the blue-haired boy asked, grinning. "Is that why you can cook?"

"Hardly," Masa sniffed. "Although it certainly helped me cultivate my sense of taste. No, it's just that Kaoru and my dad can't cook to save their lives, that's all." She paused. "I have no idea how he's living."

Yuujiro snickered. "I can't see you cooking."

"Oh, really?" Masa demanded, hands on her hips. "When we get there, I'll show you what I can do."

"Why, are you prepping for marriage?" Tooru asked with a sly smile. "Your manly image was shattered just now."

Masa made her Face at him, and he dissolved into giggles. Yuujiro had enough sense to look away, avoiding the hysterics that accompanied that expression.

"What do we need to pack?" he asked, poking Tooru with his foot. The blue-haired boy was rolling on the floor, clutching his sides.

"Can't...breathe..." he gasped, then flopped dramatically and laid still.

The two Princesses ignored him, and he grumbled and sat up.

"Not much, really. We'll just be there for tomorrow. My dad has everything he needs for the shoot, and the clothing shouldn't need to be altered too much. We're pretty close to the models' sizes."

Yuujiro raised an eyebrow, and Masa glared at him.

"He's a professional," the brunette said icily. "He has quite a few costumes in case these kinds of things happen."

The blonde raised his hands, backing off. "Sorry. Didn't mean it that way."

"It's okay," Masa sighed, running a hand through her hair. "Pack light. We'll meet with Chii and Masashi at the train station in, say, two hours? Will that give you guys enough time to get your homework done?"

"Pfft." Tooru flapped a hand at Masa. "I've got it under control."

"Who was begging Akira-san to help him?" Yuujiro demanded with a wicked smile, and Tooru rolled over and tossed a pillow at the blonde. Masa retreated before she was caught up in the pillow fight, going back into her room and picking up the phone.

"Okay, my two cohorts are coming with us. We'll be there around 7pm."

"Should I make supper?"

"_Can_ you?"

"Fair point. Should I order takeout?"

"Nah, I'll cook. Yuujiro doubts my abilities."

"Knowing you, you'll put hotsauce in his share, then," her father said sagely. "All right, thank them for me. I'll make some basic preparations for them." He paused. "Are you doing okay, Masa?" he said quietly, and the brunette heard the concern in his voice.

"Yeah, of course," Masa said, forcing a cheerful voice. "I'll talk to you tonight, okay?"

"All right. See you soon."

"Bye, Dad. Love you."

"Love you too, Masa."

She hung up the phone and flopped onto her bed, staring up at the bed above. A thought suddenly dawned on her.

How the hell had Tooru known...?


	17. Part Sixteen: Homebound and Lost

_(Tejinote: Holy gracious, over 5000 views! Thank you so much to everyone that reads this, despite the ...occasional...hiatus.)_

**Part Fifteen: Homebound and Lost**

"Whatever you do, don't let anyone talk you into doing something about the way you look, ever." -John Casablancas

Yuujiro and Tooru were waiting impatiently at the end of the road, both glancing at their watches.

"Where is he?" Tooru inquired, after a long moment of silence. "He couldn't have possibly gotten lost."

The blonde frowned as he considered that statement. True, it was a straight line, but he had a feeling Masa and Kaoru had walked that path before...

As Yuujiro went to go back to get Masa, the brunette stumbled into him from the left.

"Ah, there you are," she said, pursing her lips. "You guys left without me!"

"We didn't leave without you, you fell behind," Tooru said with a grin. "How did you end up over there, anyway?"

"I'm not sure," Masa said cheerfully. "Anyway, we'd best get going. Chii and Misashi nii-chan are going to be mad that we're late."

"We're not late, though," Yuujiro said with a puzzled look. "We're early." He took another look at his watch, but it was only four-thirty.

"I'm _always_ late," Masa sighed, a wistful look in her hazel eyes.

"Sometimes that's a good thing," Tooru said with a mischevious chuckle. Masa smacked him on the shoulder, and the blue-haired boy skipped ahead.

"So what exactly are we doing?" Yuujiro sighed, rubbing his face.

"We're doing what we always do," the brunette grumbled. "Dressing up and getting our photos taken."

"Dressing up as _what_?" Yuujiro demanded, whirling to face Masa. "Your father can't be thinking about letting you be a girl!"

"It's not like we haven't done it before," Masa said with a shrug, but her eyes were frosty. "We've all been girls. Besides..." She trailed off, a frown crossing her face, but it was quickly gone. "Never mind."

She stomped off, leaving Yuujiro behind. The blonde grumbled before running after the two, cursing Masa's carefree attitude.

He was wondering about that frown, though.

* * *

"Maa-chan!" Chihiro called, spotting them from the train station. "Hurry up!" She was biting her lip, trying to keep back her giggles. Tooru and Yuujiro were walking right beside the brunette, as if she were some prisoner prone to escaping.

"He kept wandering off," Tooru grumbled, shooting a glare at the innocent-looking Masa.

"Ah, and with Masa's unique sense of direction..." Misashi trailed off, looking Masa over. "I can see why the closeness was warranted." He edged closer to Masa. "I've got it under control now, though," he said, brushing his long brown bangs behind his ears.

Masa pouted at the second-year, but stayed quiet.

"You've got quite the situation going on, hmm?" Misashi murmured, leaning in close. "Chii told me about it. Your secret is safe with me." He paused, amber eyes curious as he felt a glare. Glancing up, he saw Yuujiro's darkened expression and grinned, licking his lips.

"Oh ho, what _fun_ I'll have," he said gleefully for Masa's ears alone. She shot him a questioning look, then backed away slowly.

"I know, right?" Chihiro said, clapping her hands. "It's all so interesting."

"What, the photo shoot?" Tooru inquired, confused.

Yuujiro simply frowned, sensing the Takahashi siblings' topic, but didn't say anything.

"Well, let's get going," Misashi said cheerfully. "We don't want to be late for Inoue-san. I'm sure he's getting ready." He ushered them onto the train, taking the seat beside Masa and grinning widely. Tooru sat on her other side, while Yuujiro and Chihiro sat across from them.

"So you're a second year at Oyama High, right? Do you see Kenta nii-chan a lot?" Masa inquired curiously.

"Not as often as I'd like," Misashi said with a grin. "He seems to have quite the...crowd following him."

Masa giggled. "They still think of him as a Banchou? Is his hair still blonde?"

"He said he's going to keep it that way until he either explodes at his groupies or comes home, whichever comes first. Yoshimoto-sensei would rip him a new one."

Chihiro glanced at Yuujiro and Tooru. "Yoshimoto-sensei was the one who taught Maa-chan and Kenta-senpai judo," she said by way of explanation. The two nodded, eyes widening as they realized what that meant.

"He's a formidable opponent, that's for sure," Misashi said, wrinkling his brow. "No one has defeated him for quite some time now."

"Maa-chan came close a couple of times," Chihiro said proudly, as if it were her. "Are you going to visit?"

"Not this time," Masa said, a wistful look in her hazel eyes. "My time will be taken up by dad."

Misashi gave a wise nod. "He certainly is thorough."

Masa turned to Tooru as Chihiro and Yuujiro began to quietly bicker.

"So, Tooru," the brunette began, but was interrupted by Misashi.

"I've heard a lot of good things about Fujimori," he chirped. "They have the best success rate for Tokyo U, right? How are your classes going?"

"Well enough, I suppose," Tooru said, rubbing his chin. "We've had to help Masa with math a lot lately."

"Masa and math never did get along," Misashi said wisely. "I had to tutor her a lot when she was in junior high. Her house was pretty much my second home."

Chihiro nodded. "Kosuke-san was more than happy to have us over, though."

Misashi suddenly leaned on Masa. "I've missed you, you know. I was so jealous when Kenta came back, grumbling about you." He paused. "But then I saw you at the cafe, and was super excited."

"I saw," Masa said dryly."Between you and Chii, I'm surprised I'm not on guard all the time."

"You mean you were before?" Yuujiro asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Hey, I haven't tossed anyone since..." Masa trailed off, hazel eyes apologetic as she glanced over at Tooru. The sapphire-eyed boy chuckled, but didn't speak.

"I missed something, apparently," Yuujiro grumbled.

"Masa was infamous. Part of the reason he's so bad at dancing is because he used to judo-throw all of his partners. Obviously, he knows how to make them land gently, but no one wanted to go near him." Chihiro cackled with glee as she said this, enjoying the blush that creeped up on Masa's face.

"Shut up, Chii," she grumbled, smacking her friend's leg. "I'm sure they don't want to hear stories. Besides, I know some about you, _too_." Masa shot a look at Chihiro, who looked away with feigned innocence.

"Surely you don't think I'm a ne'er-do-well, do you, Tooru-san?" Chihiro inquired, fluttering her eyelashes at the blue-haired boy.

Tooru laughed, Yuujiro rolling his eyes.

"That's enough of that, Chii," Misashi chided. "You'd break so many hearts if they knew of your past."

Yuujiro raised an eyebrow. "_That_ I would like to hear," he said with a wicked grin. Chihiro's eyes widened in alarm.

"Nii-chan, don't give him ammunition!" Chihiro said in a stage-whisper. "Otherwise I'll have to delve into his past, and it'll be a big circle of secrets!"

They all laughed, the topics dissolving into random conversations as the train sped along, approaching Masa's home.

* * *

Misashi stretched as they disembarked, then draped himself on Masa's shoulder.

"Masa, you should carry me," he said, giving the brunette a squeeze. "I'm tired of studying."

Hazel eyes stared suspiciously at the second-year. "It's not my fault you took hard classes."

Misashi grinned and released her, glancing at Yuujiro. The blonde was scowling as he quickly moved beside Masa.

"I don't like him," he said in a low tone.

"You don't like _any_ of my friends," Masa sighed, elbowing Yuujiro. "I have a wide diversity of people and you seem to think they're all out to get me." She frowned. "You don't have to worry about me, you know. I can take care of myself."

Tooru came up behind them and stuck his head between the two. "Whatcha talking about?" he asked mischeviously, interest in his blue eyes.

"Nothing," Masa and Yuujiro chorused, making Tooru more suspicious.

"You're going behind my back, aren't you?" he said accusingly, twirling Yuujiro away from Masa. "I will defend his honour to the death!" He posed dramatically, but his show was ruined as the people around them giggled and stared.

"Tooru, please try to act normal," Masa sighed. "These people aren't aware of your...eccentricies."

"Is that even a word?" Yuujiro asked suspiciously.

"It is now," the brunette said cheerfully, skipping ahead. Chihiro laughed and ran after her, and it quickly turned into a race, though Tooru and Yuujiro had to have their _own_ race due to them having no idea where they were going.

After the dash, in which Chihiro proclaimed herself the winner, the other four panted and gasped as they caught up to her.

"Chihiro, that isn't fair," Masa grumbled, leaning over. "You were on the track and field team."

The amber-eyed girl grinned and made a "V" sign.

"Not my problem," she chirped, turning and tilting her head at her brother. "Nii-chan, you've fallen out of shape," she chided.

Yuujiro sat on the edge of the sidewalk, staring up at the sky as he caught his breath. Tooru, having already recovered, swiped his bangs out of his eyes.

"So, where are we?" he inquired, sapphire eyes curious.

"We're in the second district of Ukiha," Misashi said with a smile. "Chihiro and I will have to part ways with you here." He clutched his heart dramatically. "Though it pains me to say it, this is temporary farewell." He paused, catching his breath. "Almost literally painful."

Masa mimicked the gesture with a sorrowful expression. "I shall always keep your memory in my heart."

No one noticed how she rubbed her chest, disguising it as a gesture.

"Anyway, we'll catch up with you later," Chihiro said with a smile, waving goodbye as she dragged her grumbling brother down the street. The three Princesses waved as they went around the corner, then Tooru and Yuujiro turned to Masa.

"Now where are we going?" Yuujiro asked, tilting his head. "Can we trust you?"

"This is my hometown," the brunette said, slightly insulted. "I at least know my way around here. It's everywhere else that's confusing." She stuck her nose in the air. "Come on, let's go."

She marched off as Tooru helped Yuujiro up, the two glancing at each other and shrugging.

Masa was eccentric in her own way, after all.

* * *

Ten minutes later, they'd gone down twists and turns and alleys. Tooru and Yuujiro had been eyeing their surroundings in case their worst fears came true, but after so many shortcuts they'd given up hope long ago. Masa was oddly quiet, leaving the other two to talk quietly as they walked behind her.

After ducking down a sidestreet, they emerged into the shopping district. Masa paused, putting her hand to her chin in thought, then reached into her bag and pulled out two pieces of paper.

"Since _someone _decided to insult my cooking, he can go to my house and wait for me to get back with groceries." Hazel eyes glared at Yuujiro, whose eyebrows raised in alarm. "Tooru can help me."

Yuujiro tried to protest, but was cut off by Masa's icy stare. The blonde shivered, feeling the temperature drop, and gave up. Tooru was shaking with quiet laughter, his sapphire eyes gleaming with amusement.

"Here, take this map. I'll let my dad know you're on your way, okay?" Masa shoved a paper at him, then turned and stomped away while dragging Tooru with her. The blue-haired boy shrugged apologetically before turning, leaving Yuujiro to stand in the quiet street with an incredulous look on his face.

The blonde stood in shock, watching the two as they disappeared around the corner, then realized what was going on.

"Hey! Masa! Stop! Come back!" Yuujiro chased after Masa and Tooru, but the street they had gone down was devoid of the two Princesses. Realizing that he was being stared at, he flushed and ducked into a nearby clothing store. Unfolding the map, he slumped into a nearby chair, putting his face in his hands.

It was a drawing completely reliant on obscure knowledge of the area; things like "ohagi-shaped rock" and "tree in the middle of the street" peppered the map. He stared at the spot, marked with an "X".

"You are here," it said. There were arrows, but only some streets were drawn, with odd names. "Flower street", one said. "Pastry street", another. The goal was circled with a big red star, but didn't have an actual street name or house number. Only "House! Lovely view!"

Yuujiro instantly dubbed it the Masamap, and despaired. With Masa's navigational skills and lack of drawing ability, he was doomed.

Just as he was about to give up hope, his phone suddenly chimed. He glanced at it curiously, unsure of who was texting him.

**+Chihiro+**

So, what kind of situation are you in?

Yuujiro stared down at his phone.

**+Yuujiro+**

When did you put your number in my phone?

**+Chihiro+**

Let's just say I'm good at sleight of hand, and leave it at that. Where are you now?

**+Yuujiro+**

A clothing shop in the shopping district. "Quirky Fashions".

**+Chihiro+**

Ah. Any hints on where to go?

**+Yuujiro+**

It sounds like this has happened before.

**+Chihiro+**

Yeah, when she was little she used to draw maps of where she went.

**+Yuujiro+**

Were they terrible?

**+Chihiro+**

Absolutely.

The blonde sighed morosely.

**+Yuujiro+**

I don't suppose you'll give me directions?

**+Chihiro+**

You'll need to head down Aragi street. After that you're on your own, blondie.

**+Yuujiro+**

So I'm supposed to wander around an unknown city by myself?

**+Chihiro+**

Don't worry, the map can't be -that- bad. Just keep an eye on the stuff on the streets. She usually got distracted by them.

**+Yuujiro+**

...tell Masa I'll be haunting her.

**+Chihiro+**

Will do.

With that, Yuujiro snapped his phone shut, gathering his thoughts. Some salespeople wandered close, but were quickly deterred by the dark look on his face. He rose suddenly, then walked out of the shop with determination.

He'd find her house, damn it, or die trying.

* * *

As Masa stalked down the streets, Tooru pondered why she was so angry.

"What's up, Masa?" he inquired, stepping in front of the brunette. "You seem put out."

Masa paused, patting her face. "Huh. You're right." She scrunched her face up, then pulled at her cheeks. "I'm not sure why."

"Was it because Yuujiro was hit on while we were walking, and you weren't?" Sapphire eyes sparkled with mischief. "I never took you for the jealous type."

Masa stuck her tongue out at him as she trotted around the corner. "Here we go, the market street. We'll go shopping here."

Tooru looked around in interest; the street was packed with people. There were various stalls crowding the street, voices of the crowd blending into a chorus of noise. Specials were shouted as vendors waved sale signs in the air.

"I've got a list of what we'll need." Masa paused, peering down the street. "Let's go get some vegetables first." She trotted away, Tooru struggling to get through the crowd.

"How does he do that?" the blue-haired boy muttered, watching Masa easily slide around people. She stopped and looked back at him, then pursed her lips as if to say "hurry up".

They eventually made it to a stall with fresh greens. Masa stared intently at the green onions, poking, examining, and smelling. She finally decided on two large stalks, then grabbed a carrot.

Tooru watched her with interest. He'd never seen her so focused, and was intrigued with what she was going to make.

"Well?" he asked, after making a trip to the butcher and emerging with a large slab of pork. They'd also picked up some mushrooms, ginger, sugar, and potatoes. "How far do we have to go with these?"

Masa slung the bag over her shoulder. "Not too far."

Tooru eyed her suspiciously.

"Even _with_ my detours," the brunette added dryly. "Besides, I was planning on leaving tomorrow. No matter what, we'll be early." She ignored the look of alarm upon Tooru's face, turning and going down a sidestreet. With a small prayer, the blue-haired boy followed her, hoping Yuujiro was having more luck than he probably would.

* * *

Yuujiro was staring at a rock that was, indeed, in the triangular shape of an ohagi. He stood there for a long moment, looking at the map, then the rock, and then back again. He needed to go down the "street with dogs", but only had a vague arrow on the Masamap. Sighing, he straightened his back and strode confidently towards God-knows-where, figuring if Masa could figure it out, so could he.

He eventually heard the barking of dogs, and sprinted in that direction. He came across a house with six dogs, all jumping around and playing. He grinned, knowing that he was finally getting

close. Going down the street, he paused at the corner, frowning. For some reason, the "road" on the map seemed to stop, then resume a ways away. Puzzled, he looked around, but saw nothing that could possibly be some kind of road block-

The blonde saw light reflecting off of water, and walked suspiciously towards it. There was a small lake, the banks nearly obscuring it from view. A river lead to it, so Yuujiro decided to walk along the riverbank. It was pretty, if nothing else.

A ways down, he spotted a large bridge spanning the river, which had widened. Tilting his head to the side, he looked at the map, and then it clicked.

"The bridge!" he shouted gleefully, scaring some birds. "That's the freaking space. That airhead either forgot to draw it, or just decided to be like that." Remembering her scowl, he decided upon the latter, wondering uneasily if he had done _something_ to make her like that.

He gave up on that train of thought, since he had no answers at all, and scrambled up the banks to the sidewalk. Yuujiro paused, slightly out of breath from the steep embankment, and took stock of his situation.

The Masamap seemed to end on this note, aside from the "goal". Running a hand through his hair, he figured he'd have to curb his pride and probably ask for help. Going down the street, Yuuijro sighed as he tried to figure out which house would be Masa's.

He suddenly remembered Masa's description of her street, and how a dojo was on the corner. Filled with hope, he peered down both ends, but saw nothing; the street was rather long, much to his dismay. The blonde slumped and picked a direction, cursing Masa and her damnable map.

He spotted someone hanging laundry outside, and figured he may as well ask them for help. Trotting up to the fence, he paused as he gathered up the courage to ask directions.

"Excuse me, miss," he began hesitantly. The woman had a slim build, her black hair tied into a low-slung ponytail, showcasing the nape of her neck. She was wearing jeans and a loose sweater, and paused as she went to hang up a futon.

"Yes?"

Yuujiro's golden eyes widened as the voice was a bit deeper than what he had expected...for a woman. Large hazel eyes, the twin of which he had seen earlier today, were sparkling with amusement.

Alas, poor Yuujiro, he'd come upon Masa's house.

Whirling, he saw the view of the river, which was, indeed, a magnificent view.

Yuujiro face-palmed dejectedly, then straightened and turned to the (now known) man.

"Hello, sir," he said with a polite bow. "Is this the house of Masa Inoue?"

The man chuckled; he had a voice which seemed to be in the middle between high and low. He hung the futon, then turned and opened the gate.

"You must be Yuujiro Shihoudani," the man said with a wide grin. "I've heard about you."

"I...see." The blonde paused, unsure of what to say.

"I'm Masa's dad," the man said by way of explanation. "Kosuke Inoue. Thanks for taking care of my daughter."

"Oh. Uh. You're welcome." Yuujiro was temporarily tongue-tied, his brain trying to process the gender shock.

Now he knew where Masa got her genes from, anyway. Though he, himself, was a perfect example of the fact that you can't judge a book by its cover, he was still startled.

"Come in, come in, I'll get some tea started." Kosuke sheparded Yuujiro into the house, through the porch into the kitchen. "Have a seat."

Yuujiro obediently sat at the table, looking around with interest. It was a modest home, with not a lot for decorations. There were quite a few cupboards, though, and he spotted some unusual cookware as Kosuke took out some cups.

Noticing Yuujiro's glance, he grinned. "Yeah, Masa decided she needed to buy things so she can cook proper meals."

Silence settled over the kitchen as Masa's father waited for the water to boil. His gaze sharpened as he looked Yuujiro over, and the blonde squirmed under the intensity of his gaze.

"So," Kosuke began, but was interrupted by the kettle whistling. He sighed, then poured the tea, settling down across from Yuujiro.

"So. How is Masa doing?"

Yuujiro paused, unsure of what her father meant by that question.

"In school, I mean. How is she getting along with her classmates? How is she adjusting?" Kosuke ran a hand through his hair, getting irritated at his ponytail. Yuujiro sympathized with him, knowing the frustration of having long hair in the warmer months.

"She's doing well, I guess," Yuujiro said, golden eyes thoughtful. "She seems to take a lot of the things we have to do in stride."

Kosuke chuckled. "She does have adaptability, that one." He paused. "What are your thoughts?"

"As a whole?" Yuujiro hesitated, trying to sort out his thoughts. "She's quite...stubborn, I guess. She won't give up. Though she's been a bit out of sorts lately."

Kosuke sighed, then rubbed his face. "I expected that. What I didn't expect, however, was to meet the _boy_ who saw my _little girl_ in a state of near-undress." His tone was suddenly icy, and Yuujiro shivered as he realized where Masa got _that_ tone from.

"I'm sorry," the blonde said quickly. "I didn't realize it at the time. I haven't looked at her or anything like that since then."

A long moment of silence, then Kosuke smiled. "Good answer. I believe you. For now, anyway."

Yuujiro breathed a sigh of relief. He certainly didn't expect to be having tea with the father of his cross-dressing classmate, that's for sure.

"I'm sure you have questions," Kosuke said, hazel eyes glancing at his watch. "I'm sure Masa won't be home for a while yet. She gets...distracted easily."

Yuujiro gave a wry grin. "Lost, you mean?" He grimaced, remembering the Masamap.

Kosuke raised an eyebrow. "She gave you a map, didn't she?"

The blonde frowned. "How did you know?"

"She obviously trusted your ability to make sense of her inane directions, figuring you'd get here before she and Tooru-kun did." He paused, sipping his tea. "She must have wanted you to meet me so we could hash out any issues we have." He looked at Yuujiro, raising an eyebrow. "You have questions, correct?"

Yuujiro stared at Masa's dad, unsure of where to even start.

"Why did she choose Fujimori?" he blurted, then clapped a hand over his mouth. That was the most pressing question on his mind. "Why didn't she choose Kiba? Or a co-ed school? How did she even manage to get _into_ the school?"

Kosuke grinned. "She has her mother's stubborn personality," he said mysteriously. "She learned that Fujimori had the highest amount of students that get into Tokyo U." He suddenly sighed, pushing his tea aside. "Obviously, she didn't tell me she had gotten accepted. I didn't even know she took the exam. I was quite startled when I got a letter from the school confirming her enrollment. When I asked her about it..."

_"Why not? It's not like I'm not used to it, you know. Besides, the I.D. has already been taken care of, remember? I'm totally fine with it. I'll be okay. After all, you've taught me quite a bit."_

Yuujiro frowned. "Wait, what?"

Kosuke groaned, running a hand through his hair. Masa's habit came to light.

"At one point, Masa decided she'd act as a boy in elementary school. She got the teacher confused enough that she changed Masa's gender on the registry, and Masa has ran with it ever since." His hazel eyes were sorrowful. "Apparently she's somehow managed to update it as she's gotten older."

The blonde stared in amazement, wondering what _other_ kind of mischief Masa had gotten into.

But wait, wasn't that illegal?

As if reading his thoughts, Kosuke shrugged.

"Everything's legal, as long as you don't get caught," he said, flashing a grin that nearly rivaled the Blinding Smile.

Yuujiro's phone suddenly chirped.

**+Chihiro+**

You made it, then? Kosuke-san isn't outside anymore.

**+Yuujiro+**

Were you watching me?

**+Chihiro+**

Nah, though I'd love to have seen your floundering. I got home about ten minutes ago. Maa-chan hasn't gotten home yet?

**+Yuujiro+**

Nope.

**+Chihiro+**

I'll leave you in Kosuke-san's hands, then. Have fun~

Yuujiro grimaced, picturing Chihiro's gleeful expression. Kosuke had risen, rubbing his face.

"I need to go grab the rest of the laundry," he said. "Masa and Tooru-kun should be here momentarily-"

As if on cue, the door smashed open, heralding the arrival of the two Princesses. Masa was wincing as she dropped her bags, rubbing her shoulder. Tooru looked quite tired as well, and Yuujiro wondered what kind of paths they'd taken. He thought of the Masamap, though, and frowned.

"Oh, so you _did_ make it," Masa said cheerily. "Great! I'd hate to have to go and try to find you." She was about to heft the groceries, but was stopped by Yuujiro's quick grab.

"You ought to take it easy," he said with a slightly concerned tone.

"What, you won't take my bags?" Tooru said, mock-outraged, but he easily took his bags, following Masa into the kitchen.

"Ooh, tea," the brunette said, clapping her hands enthusiastically. "Just the pick-me-up I need."

"I think I need more than tea," Tooru said dryly, flopping into a chair.

"Dad, we're here," Masa suddenly announced, unecessarily. Her dad poked his head into the kitchen, hazel eyes glinting in amusement.

"I noticed," he said, raising an eyebrow. "Take it easy on the door, remember?"

Masa grimaced. "Sorry. I was in a bit of a rush. How much work do you have left?"

"No need. I've gotten most of my prep work done, so it's just hemming the outfits. Location is all set up as well. It's a really nice venue," Kosuke said with a grin.

"Oh." Suddenly remembering her manners, Masa gestured to Tooru. "Tooru Kouno. This is my father."

"Nice to meet you, Inoue-san," Tooru said, his sapphire eyes shining.

"Why do you look so happy?" Masa asked suspiciously.

"I've admired him for a while now," the blue-haired boy admitted. "He's an amazing photographer."

Kosuke beamed. "Thanks for the compliment. Though my recent works have been as sporadic as a manga artist's storyboards." He sighed. "Luckily I have such great assistants."

"When did you realize he was my dad?" Masa said curiously. "And how did you know he'd need us to model?"

Tooru grinned mischeviously. "One of my cousins works for Inoue-san."

A lightbulb went off in Kosuke's head. "Ah! _Now_ I remember. Aida-san said she had an adorable cousin. I thought she was talking about a girl." He chuckled. "You both are certainly photogenic."

"We're used to it," Yuujiro said with a sigh. "I'm sure Masa has told you about our school's unique system?"

"Indeed, which is why when she suggested you I was okay with the idea. Obviously, I'll need you to sign a waiver. Your names won't be included in the credits, and we've got plans for changing your hair."

Masa put her head in her hands, recognizing her father about to go off on a tangent.

"We've got a magnificent beautician. She'll work wonders on you." As Kosuke talked more to himself, Masa beckoned the two Princesses into the living room.

"He'll never know we're gone," Masa sighed, running a hand through her hair. "Come on, you can put your stuff in my room."

"You have no qualms about letting us into your room?" Tooru said in amazement. "He's brave! Obviously he cleaned well before he left."

"Shut up, Tooru," Masa said with a grin, elbowing the blue-haired boy, who snickered.

Yuujiro sidled up to Masa. "Have you thought about that?" he whispered urgently. "Wouldn't your room have...something girly in it?"

Masa quirked an eyebrow. "My room is fine how it is," she said with a frosty undertone. She led the two boys down the hall, opening her door and bowing them in.

* * *

Tooru skipped inside as Yuujiro followed behind, eyeing his surroundings. It was a fairly simple room, modestly decorated like most of the house. A single bed, with a dresser underneath a window. Shelves along the walls had photos of Masa with Chihiro, and a girl he'd never seen before. A small bookcase had magazines piled atop it, and Yuujiro noticed some interesting novels.

Tooru sighed dramatically. "I was sure we were going to see something interesting," he said sadly. "What with this random visit and all."

Masa shot Tooru a suspicious look. "I'm always prepared. All of the time."

Yuujiro questioned that, but it seemed to explain a lot of things he'd been wondering about. The blonde stretched as Masa gestured for him to sit on the bed; he felt slightly uncomfortable.

_Isn't she the least bit concerned? _he wondered. Masa gave him a grin, but it just made him wonder if she'd had guys over before, which was why she was so fine with having the two in her room? He couldn't imagine having her over at _his_ place.

Yuujiro tentatively sat on the proffered bed, feeling an extra layer of softness.

"Hey! You've got a foam memory pad!" he exclaimed. "What the hell?"

Tooru looked up, then pounced at the bed. "What? No way! I want the bed!"

The blue-haired boy and the blonde tussled for a moment, but Tooru won out in the end. With a thump, Yuujiro hit the ground; grumbling, he rubbed his hip and leaned against the wall.

Masa watched this with a small grin. "It's my one fancy thing."

Tooru's expression was full of jealousy. Masa laughed, then grabbed a cookbook off of her shelf.

"I'm going to go make supper. You guys can go join Dad in the living room."

Sapphire eyes looked at her curiously. "You never did say what you were going to make."

"I'll let you try to figure it out," Masa said mysteriously, mischief in her eyes. "Besides, _someone_ may not like it." She stuck her tongue out at Yuujiro before slipping away, leaving the two Princesses sitting in her room.

For a long moment, Tooru and Yuujiro didn't move, though both of their thoughts were in entirely different directions.

Tooru: _What the hell will she make with that?_

Yuujiro: _How am I going to make up for that?_

With simultaneous sighs, the two rose and headed for the living room, elbowing each other as they walked down the hallway.

* * *

"So what are you making?" Kosuke inquired, peering at the bags.

"_Okowa_ and _nikujaga_. We have bonito, right?" Masa rummaged through the cupboards, sighing at her father's disorganization. "How do you _find _anything?"

"I know where it all is," her father said wisely, "but sometimes I simply misplace the information. One's brain is full of many things, and where the soup stock is, is not something I need to think of often."

Masa groaned. "Go sit in the living room. Tooru and Yuujiro are there." She flapped her hand at her dad, dismissing him. Laughing, he obediently left the kitchen, leaving Masa to her cooking.

"Rice, sesame oil, dashi stock. Mirin..where's the mirin?" Masa opened the lower cupboards and didn't see it. Grumbling, she opened the top ones, but couldn't see all the way to the back. She cursed her father and his height as a shadow appeared in front of her.

She twisted around and nearly tossed Yuujiro, who was standing behind her with a startled expression.

"What are you doing in here?" she demanded, hands on her hips. "I almost threw you into the fridge!"

Golden eyes were apologetic, and Masa sighed. "What did you want, Yuujiro?"

"You sounded frustrated," he said with a shrug. "Do you want me to help?"

Masa was about to say no, but then paused. "You can help me grab ingredients, but after that you're out of the kitchen," she said with a suspicious look.

With Yuujiro's help, she found the mirin, and she went through her bags to ensure she had the rest of the items she'd need.

That having been confirmed, she pointed wordlessly to the living room, and Yuujiro did so without comment. Masa was a bit curious as to why he was suddenly so obedient; normally, he'd try to force whatever she was planning out of her, or at least tease her a bit. She frowned, unsure of what had caused this change in behaviour, but it was soon overruled by her stomach.

A quick mixing of the mochi rice, water, dashi stock, mirin, and soya sauce, and Masa put it in the rice cooker. She quickly cut up the mushrooms and onions, diced the carrots, and chopped up the pork and ginger with a trained eye, not needing to measure anything, then added it to the rice cooker as well.

"Shh," Kosuke said from around the corner. Tooru and Yuujiro were watching the brunette; Tooru's eyes sparkled with curiousity as they saw Masa's quiet confidence as she prepared the food.

She wasn't the frosty, terrible-at-math Masa, nor the clumsy Princess Masa. This was a side of her they'd never seen.

Yuujiro wondered what else they'd missed. They'd never really gotten too deep into each other's personal lives; he didn't mind too much, but now...he wanted to know what other things she enjoyed doing, what other expressions she made when they weren't around.

Kosuke eyed Yuujiro suspiciously, but then tugged at the two boys' collars. "Come on, we'd best get away. If he realizes we're watching him, things will get messy."

Tooru shivered, remembering the dance practice, and nodded. They hastily retreated, leaving Masa in peace.

The brunette sighed, having noticed they were there. Her father wasn't exactly the most stealthy of people.

Rolling up her sleeves, she cut the onions, shaking her head to clear the tears. That done (and wiping her face on her shirt), she cut the potoates and sliced the meat. Pulling out a large frying pan, she tossed the ingredients in. After about two minutes of careful watching, she added enough water to cover the mixture. Adding soya sauce with the same amount of sugar, she eyed it for a moment and then added a dash of bonito. She covered it with a lid and sighed, turning on the rice cooker.

That having been done, she marched into the living room, hoping her dad hadn't told any of his more...interesting stories.

* * *

"...he fell off of the stage."

Tooru and Yuujiro were laughing so hard they had tears in their eyes as Masa groaned.

"Really, dad?" she said, eyes shooting daggers at her father.

"What? They asked about your unique dancing judo." He grinned, and Masa face-palmed.

"I felt so sorry for him," she said wistfully. "I wasn't allowed to participate in anything dance-related after that."

Tooru looked at Masa inquisitively. "Isn't that against the rules?"

"I willingly declined," the brunette said demurely.

Tooru chuckled, then tilted his head to the side. "I was wondering why you were so comfortable wearing girls' clothes. Why didn't you tell us you were in the drama club?"

"Never came up," Masa said dryly. "Besides, I have a lot of traumatic memories from that." She shivered as her father's expression turned wicked.

"There are quite a few stories involving Chihiro-chan, that's for sure," he mused. "There was that one time when they were doing a play for the culture festival. Masa's part called for blonde hair, and Chihiro decided that instead of using a wig, she was going to dye his hair." Kosuke paused, snickering. "She was in the process of learning hairstyling, so she didn't really know a lot. When I saw Masa come home from Chihiro-chan's house...she had purple hair."

Yuujiro's eyes widened as Tooru lost it, clutching his sides.

"_Purple_? How the heck did she manage that?" The blonde was chuckling, picturing Masa with purple hair.

"I don't know," Masa said with a small sigh.

"He was fine with it, though," Kosuke said with a wave at Masa. "Just went on like there was nothing wrong at all. He was fairly easy-going, that's for sure. I'm not sure if it's because of Chihiro-chan's makeovers, but sometimes he came home with interesting styles."

Masa glanced at the clock, then darted into the kitchen. A quick check, and supper was done.

"Come on, eat before it gets cold," she called. Tooru and Yuujiro sat at the table, and Masa smacked her father as he entered the kitchen. He laughed good-naturedly before taking a seat, watching the faces of the two boys.

Tooru's face lit up as he tasted the food. "This is fantastic!" he exclaimed, waving his chopsticks. "I can't believe this came out of what we bought!"

Yuujiro hesitantly ate his, unsure of if Masa decided to put something else in his food. Not tasting anything out of the ordinary, he sighed with relief-then his tastebuds reacted.

"I take back all the things I said," Yuujiro said, golden eyes widening. "This is amazing."

The brunette grinned proudly. "Damn right. I made you eat your words." Masa suddenly giggled, realizing her terrible pun. Kosuke glanced at Masa and Yuujiro, then frowned and tucked in to his food.

* * *

"That was great, Masa," Kosuke said with a satisfied expression. "I missed your cooking, you know."

"Please tell me you've been eating properly," the brunette said with a frown, lightly tapping her father on the head with a bowl. "Kaoru and I can't take care of you anymore."

Kosuke bowed his head with a sad face. "I miss you too much, so I can't eat anything," he said sorrowfully. "Nothing fills me up like seeing my childrens' faces."

Yuujiro blinked, unsure of whether or not he was serious, but then Kosuke started laughing.

"He has an odd sense of humor," Masa said dryly as she put the dishes in the sink. "Yuujiro, Tooru, want to help me?"

"Sure thing," Tooru chirped. "I'll wash, Yuujiro can dry, and you can put away, since we have no idea where anything goes."

"I don't think I do, either," Masa said with a grimace. "It's like a never-ending maze of...stuff."

Kosuke frowned. "It's not _that _bad, is it?" he inquired, rising and rubbing his face. "I need to go over some documents. I'll be in the study if you need me."

"Wait, dad," Masa called, pursing her lips. "You never did tell us what this shoot was about, or where it's going to be, or...anything, really."

Two sets of hazel eyes met, and Kosuke chuckled.

"That's true, isn't it?" he said thoughtfully. "When you're done with the dishes, let me know, and I'll lay it all out for you."

"Okay," Tooru said cheerfully. "Thanks for having us, Masa," he added, after Kosuke had left the kitchen. "Working for Inoue-san is going to be amazing for me." His sapphire eyes were sparkling as Masa handed him the dishes, and the brunette snorted.

"Wait until tomorrow," she grumbled. "Princess work is nothing compared to what he puts me through."

"You've done this before?" Yuujiro inquired curiously.

"Yeah. Kaoru-kun, Chii, and Misashi nii-chan and I were dad's models when we were young. That was before he became a professional, obviously," Masa said with a small sigh. "That's part of the reason..." She trailed off, hazel eyes darkening, and never finished her sentence.

Yuujiro wisely decided not to push her, and they finished the dishes with only mild bickering between Yuujiro and Tooru on how to properly dry dishes.

That having been done, Masa led the two boys into the study. Kosuke was sitting at a desk, scribbling on a paper before holding it up and squinting at it.

"No, no, that's not going to work at all," he muttered, tossing the paper onto a massive pile. Kosuke paused, then tacked a different paper to a large bulletin board on the wall over his desk. The only sounds in the room were the scratching of pencil on paper, the grumbles from Kosuke, and the shuffling of Tooru and Yuujiro's feet. Neither wanted to intrude upon the silence, which seemed weighted with importance.

They realized Masa had left only after she tapped Yuujiro with her elbow.

"S'cuse me," she said, and stepped gingerly over the mounds of paper. "Here, dad," she said, offering the cup of coffee she was holding.

Kosuke nodded his head towards the only available space, and Masa carefully set it down. She stood beside him, impatience growing more and more obvious as she tapped her foot. Kosuke, oblivious to this, kept drawing and tossing papers in different piles; Yuujiro wondered how he knew _where_ the piles were, and what they were for.

The temperature in the room dropped as Masa's gaze turned frosty, shooting daggers into the back of her father's head. Tooru and Yuujiro both backed away, having seen the results of this particular mood before.

"DAD!" Masa bellowed suddenly, scaring Tooru and Yuujiro nearly out of their wits. Kosuke glanced up, realization dawning in his eyes.

"Ah. Sorry. Forgot about you," he said apologetically. Masa began to retort, but stopped and sighed.

"Coffee," she said, waving tiredly towards the cup. "You were going to tell us about the shoot."

"Right, right," Kosuke said, rubbing his eyes and jotting a note on whatever he had been doing. "I've got design drawings here." His hand snaked into the middle of a stack of papers and pulled five out without upsetting the entire pile.

Yuujiro was impressed. He couldn't imagine Masa being able to do that.

As if sensing his thoughts, Masa turned and stared at Yuujiro suspiciously, but her glare was diverted by her father.

"You five going with a kimono theme," Kosuke explained, sheperding them back into the living room. "We'll be showing furisode, houmongi, tsukesage, koumon, and yukata."

"Five?" Yuujiro inquired, raising an eyebrow.

"Chii and Misashi nii-chan," Masa explained with a grin. "He said he'd helped out before, remember?"

"...you have interesting people around you, Masa," Tooru said, after a moment of silence. "Talk about gender-bender."

Yuujiro had to supress a laugh at that statement. "You have no idea," he muttered wryly. Kosuke shot the blonde a sharp look, but Yuujiro remained unaffected.

"Show us pictures, pictures," Masa said, dancing around her father. "Who's wearing what?"

Kosuke shuffled his papers, then held out a drawing. "The furisode will be black, with a pink, light purple, and gold floral pattern. Butterflies will be interspersed along the sleeves and collars. We'll be using a fukuroobi, since the traditional obi will be too heavy and hot in this weather." Kosuke paused, tilting his head to the side as he thought. "That will, again, have a bright, floral pattern. A golden obijime and obiage, and that is that."

Yuujiro stared in amazement at the paper. The drawings were amazingly detailed, with the kimono shown from all sides.

"Did you go to art school, Inoue-san?" Tooru asked, eyes shining.

"No," Kosuke said with a grin, hazel eyes mischevious. "I had my hands full with the drama club."

Masa sighed, rubbing her face. "If only he'd decided to go to college," she said woefully, "he may not be quite as...flighty."

Kosuke gave his daugher a gentle thump on the head, and the brunette accepted it with a laugh.

"Tooru-kun, you'll be wearing the furisode. Your hair will make an excellent contrast," Kosuke said, eyeing the blue-haired boy. "Is that okay?"

"Of course, Inoue-san," Tooru said with a bow. "I look forward to your guidance."

"Excellent," Kosuke said with a satisfied smile. "The houmongi will be worn by Misashi-kun, since his slight height difference will show off the bottom patterns. Yuujiro-kun, is it okay if you wear the tsukesage?"

"Sure," the blonde said, a slight amount of trepidation in his voice. He wondered if Kosuke was the type to get revenge on boys who got near his daughter. Kosuke, however, was a professional, and his hazel eyes were steady as he watched Yuujiro's face.

"Good. The goal of the tsukesage will be to capture a sky and sun feel." Kosuke pulled out another page, handing it to Yuujiro. "Pale blue kimono, with a white fukuroobi and obijime. The obiage will be a pale yellow, as will the patterns on the bottom and upper right shoulder. You'll also have a paper umbrella, with sun and clouds on it."

Yuujiro stared at the paper with amazement. The drawings seemed like they had taken _hours_ to complete. Looking closely, he could see the faint traces of pencil erasure, and his respect for Kosuke rose a slight amount.

He still didn't like how he let Masa get into a boy's school, though.

"Chihiro-chan will wear the koumon, and Masa will get to wear the yukata."

Yuujiro frowned. "Aren't they a bit short?"

"You're thinking of the lighter, summer version. No matter what, Masa's height will certainly come into play." He grinned as the tiny brunette pouted, then handed her a paper. "It'll have a reversible hanhaba obi, and I'll give you some decorations and accessories. It'll be dark green, with gold and silver swirls and sakura branches. Your obi will be gold with silver, and white with black. Flower patterns on both sides."

Kosuke paused, eyeing them all up. "We should get measurements done as soon as possible. I've got some people-"

Yuujiro suddenly shivered with foreboding. As if on cue, the door burst open and Chihiro's voice echoed into the room. "Maa-chan, we've come to play!"

"Oh, Chihiro-chan. Great timing. I'm going to call Muga, so we can get this done as quickly as possible." Kosuke nodded towards the three Princesses, and Chihiro gave a wide grin.

"I've already gotten their measurements," she sang.

Kosuke raised an eyebrow.

"We borrowed them for an event at my school," Chihiro said by way of explanation. Kosuke didn't press the issue any further as Chihiro jotted down some numbers, giving them to Masa's father.

Kosuke's hazel eyes looked at the figures, then up at the three Princesses, then back to the paper.

"Well, that's excellent," he said with a tired smile. "There is little alterations to be done. I'm going to go meet up with my team to prepare for tomorrow. You three can find something to do for a while, right?"

"Sure can," Masa chirped. "I've got it under control, dad."

"That concerns me," Kosuke grumbled, but waved and quickly left the house.

* * *

Chihiro rocked on her heels.

"Now what?" she asked, curiousity written all over her face. "You probably figured there'd be more work involved, hey?"

"Not really," Masa sighed, running a hand through her hair. "They'll be fine." She waved in the direction of the two boys, then sat wearily on the couch. "What do you guys want to do, then?"

"Can we go visit the location of the photo shoot?" Tooru inquired, glancing at Yuujiro. "I'm curious as to what backdrop they'll be using."

"Oh, sure," Chihiro said, clapping her hands. "It'll be in Akahashi Park. I'll show you where it is." She looked at Masa, a brief glint of concern in her amber eyes. "Maa-chan? Come with?"

"Nah, I'll stay here." Masa flapped her hand at her childhood friend. "Go and show them."

"I'm too tired to go anywhere else," Yuujiro grumbled, sitting on the armchair. "I'm going to stay behind."

Chihiro laughed, and Yuujiro knew she was thinking of his adventures with the Masamap. Groaning, he shook his fist at her as she and Tooru left the house.

Silence reigned as minutes passed.

"Masa..." Yuujiro began, but stopped. He was unsure of how far into her family matters he'd be allowed to go.

The brunette, who was now laying on the couch, raised an eyebrow.

"Ask away."

"What...erm. How long...ugh." Yuujiro groaned in frustration. He had no idea where to begin. Masa, seeing the torn look on his face, laughed.

"I've never seen you so conflicted," she teased. "What in the world has the great Yuujiro-sama stumped?"

"You," he muttered, then sighed. "Just curious. When did you start modelling for your dad?"

Masa paused, hazel eyes thoughtful. "Since I was ten, I think? Dad started seriously pursuing photography then. He didn't use me that often, though. Chihiro, Misashi nii-chan, and I were occasionally included depending on what kind of mood he was going for."

"Ah." Yuujiro pondered this, but stayed quiet, afraid to ask more questions.

After a long period of silence, Yuujiro was about to talk, but then stopped, looking at Masa closely.

The brunette's eyes were closed...was she sleeping?

Yuujiro had to surpress a burst of laughter, but then frowned.

She was completely unconcerned that he was alone with her.

Completely defenseless.

"What does she think of me as, then?" he murmured, watching her. "I could do anything to her." He paused, considering the implications of that statement. "Not that I would, of course," he quickly amended, "but seriously."

Masa rolled over, opening a sleepy hazel eye.

"Whatcha doing?" she asked, yawning.

"Nothing." Yuujiro abruptly rose. "Can I use your washroom?"

"Down the hall." Masa waved in its general direction as Yuujiro stalked away. She sat up slowly, kneading her chest.

"That was close," she muttered, reaching into her pocket. Taking a bottle from her pocket, she stared at it in contemplation, then hastily put it away as she heard Yuujiro coming back.

"Do you want anything to drink?" Masa asked, standing up. She swayed slightly, and Yuujiro quickly steadied her, holding her shoulders.

"Are you okay?" he asked, golden eyes full of concern.

"Yep. Stood up too fast." After a moment, she gently removed his arm. "So?"

"Nah, I'm okay." Yuujiro watched her trot back into the kitchen, sinking into the chair. He put his head in his hands.

He hadn't wanted to let her go.

Was that because she looked dizzy?

Probably.

Concerns abated, Masa came back, her usual demeanor returned. She turned on the TV and they argued over what to watch, and then what the program content was about.

They were both a bit on edge. Though Masa had no idea why every so often Yuujiro would scowl, she didn't ask.

She had other concerns at the moment, and with the impending photo shoot, her mind was full of possible scenarios, most of them ending terribly.

After long moments agonizing over everything that could go wrong, Yuujiro suddenly chopped her forehead.

"Ouch!" Masa yelped, jumping in shock. "What was that for?"

"You were frowning so hard you were making wrinkles," the blonde said, furrowing his own brow in an attempt to mimic her. "You'll get old fast if you keep that up."

Masa giggled at Yuujiro's ridiculous facial expression, but she _did_ feel better. Putting it out of her mind (she was doing that a lot, lately), Masa decided to take it as it came, and hope for the best.

Though which outcome would _be_ the best, she wasn't sure.


End file.
